Sony PCG-F650, PCG-F650K, PCG-F680, PCG-F680K, PCG-F690 User Guide

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VAIO Notebook User Guide

VAIO Notebook

User Guide

Prin

2000 Sony Electronics Inc

-11

www.sony.co

VAIO® Notebook User Guide

PCG-F650/PCG-F650K/PCG-F680/ PCG-F680K/PCG-F690/PCG-F690K

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Notice to Users

© 2000 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. This manual and the software described herein, in whol e or in part, may not be reproduced, transl at ed, or reduced to any machine-readable form without prior written approval.

SONY ELECTRONICS INC. PROVIDES NO WARRANTY WITH REGARD TO THIS MANUAL, THE SOFTWARE, OR OTHER INFORMA TION CONT AINED HEREIN AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH REGARD TO THIS MANUAL, THE SOFTWARE, OR SUCH OTHER INFORMATION. IN NO EVENT SHALL SONY ELECTRONICS INC. BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON TORT, CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MANUAL, THE SOFTWARE, OR OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN OR THE USE TH EREOF.

Sony Electronics Inc. reserves the right to make any modification to this man ua l or the information containe d herein at any time without notice. The software described herein is governed by the terms of a separate user license agreement.

This product contains software owned by Sony and licensed by third parti es. U s e of suc h software is subject to the terms and conditions of license agreements enclosed w ith this product. Some of the softwar e m ay not be transported or used outside the United States. Software specifications are subject to change without notic e and may not necessarily be identical to current retail versio ns.

Updates and additions to softwar e m ay re qu ire an additional charge. Subscriptions to online service providers may require a fee and credit card information. Financial services may require prior arrangements with participating financial in stitutions.

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, Sony Corporation has determined that this product meets the

NERGY STAR

guidelines for energy efficiency.

NERGY STAR Office

The International Equipment Program is an international program that promotes energy saving through the use of computers and other office equipment. The program backs the development and dissemination of product s with func ti ons that effectively reduce energy consumption. It is an open system in which business propriet ors c an participate voluntarily. The targeted products are office equipment s u ch as computers, displays, printers, facsimiles an d copiers. Their standards and logos are uniform among participating nations. registered mark.

Sony, Handycam, i.LINK, Mavica, Media Bar, MovieShaker, PictureGear, VAIO and the V AIO logo are trademarks of Sony Cor pora tion. Microsoft, Windows Me, Windows Media, Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel, SpeedStep, and Pentium are trademarks of Intel Corpora t ion . PS/ 2 is a registered trademark of IBM.

This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is pr otected by method claims of certain U.S. patents and othe r intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is

NERGY ST AR is a U.S.

intended for home and ot he r lim i te d vi ewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engi neering or disassembly is prohibited.

All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Owner’s Record

The model num b er and serial numb e r are located on the bottom of your Sony VAIO® Notebook. Refer to the model and seria l number when you call your Sony Servic e Center.

Model Numbers:PCG-931A, PCG-9312, PCG932A, PCG-9322, PCG-933A, PCG-9332

Serial Number:_________ _______________

Safety Info r mation

WARNING

To prevent fire or shock hazard,

❑

do not expose your notebook computer to rain or moisture.

To avoid electrical shock, do not

❑

open the cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personn el only.

Never install modem or telephone

❑

wiring during a lightning storm. Never install telephone jacks in

❑

wet locations unless the jack is specifically designed for wet locations.

Never touch unin sula ted

❑

telephone wire or terminals unless the telephone line has been disconnected at the network interface.

Use caution when installing or

❑

modifying teleph one li nes. A void using the modem dur ing an

❑

electrical storm. Do not use the modem or a

❑

telephone to report a gas leak in the vicinity of the leak.

A socket outlet should be as close

❑

as possible to the unit and easily accessible.

! To change the backup battery,

please contac t yo ur nearest Sony Service Center.

! Caution - The use of optic a l

instruments with this produc t will increase eye haz ard. As the laser beam used in th is product is harmful to the ey es, do not attempt to disassemble the cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personnel only.

! For DVD-ROM: Dan ger - Visible

and invisible lase r ra di ation when open. Avoid direct exposure to beam.

! For CD-RW: Danger - Invisible

laser radiation when open. Avoid direct exposure to beam.

! Caution: To reduce the risk of fire,

use only No. 26 AWG or larger telecommunication line cord.

AVERTISSEMENT

Pour prévenir tout risque

❑

d’incendie ou d’électrocution, garder cet appareil à l’abri de la pluie et de l’humidité.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Pour prévenir tout risque

❑

d’électrocution, ne pas ouvrir le châssis de cet appareil et ne confier son entretien qu’à une personne qualifiée.

Ne jamais effectuer l’installation

❑

de fil modem ou télép hone durant un orage électrique.

Ne jamais effectuer l’installation

❑

d’une prise téléphonique dans un endroit mouillé à moins que la prise soit conçue à cet effet.

Ne jamais toucher un fil

❑

téléphonique à découvert ou un terminal à moins que la ligne téléphonique n’ait été débranché de l’interface réseau.

Soyez très prudent lorsque vous

❑

installez ou modifiez les lignes téléphoniques.

Évitez d’utiliser le modem durant

❑

un orage électrique. N'utilisez pas le modem ni le

❑

téléphone pour prévenir d'une fuite de gaz vous êtes près de la fuite.

L’appareil doit être le plus près

❑

possible d’une prise murale pour en faciliter l’accès

! Pour changer la pile de rechange,

veuillez contacter votre centre de service Sony le plus près.

! Avertissement - L'utilisation

d'instruments optiques avec ce produit augmente les risques pour les yeux. Puisque le faisceau laser utilisé dans ce produit est dommageable pour les yeux, ne tentez pas de dés assembler le boîtier. Adressez-vous à un agent de service qualifié.

! Pour les DVD-ROM : Danger :

Radiation laser visi ble et invi sible si ouvert. Évitez l’expositio n directe au fai sceau.

! Pour les CD-RW : Danger :

Radiation laser visi ble et invi sible si ouvert. Évitez l'exposition directe au fai sceau.

! Attention : Afin de réduire les

risques d'incen die, n'utilisez qu'un cordon de communication N0. 26 AWG ou plus gros.

If you have questions about this product, you can reach the Sony Customer Information Service Center at 1-888-4SONYPC; or write to the Sony Customer Informat ion Service Center at 12451 Gateway Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33913 or find Sony Customer Se rvice on the web at: http://www.sony.com/pcsupport

Regulatory Information

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY

Model No.: PCG-931A

PCG-9312 PCG-932A PCG-9322 PCG-933A PCG-9332

Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.

Address: 1 Sony Drive

Park Ridge, NJ 07656

Telephone: 201-930-6972

This phone number is for FCC -re lated matters only.

This device complies w it h Par t 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harm ful interference, and

(2) this device must accept any int erference received, including interfere nce that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment ha s bee n te sted and found to comply with the li mits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the Rules. Thes e limits are designed to provide reasonable protection again st harmful interference i n a residential ins tallation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not install ed and used in accordance with the inst ructions, may cause harmful interference to radio co mmu nications. However , there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this

equipment does cause harmful interfere nce to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to corre ct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving

❑

antenna. Increase the separation between

❑

the equipment and the receiver. Connect the equipment into an

❑

outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

Consult the dealer or an

❑

experienced radio/TV technician for help.

You a re cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.

Only peripherals (comput er input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.) that comply with FCC Class B limits ma y be atta ched to th is computer product. Operation with noncompliant peri pherals is likely to res ult in interference to radio and television reception.

All cables used to connec t pe ripherals must be shielded and grounded. Operation with cables, connected to peripherals, that are not shielded and grounded, may result in interference to radio and television reception.

FCC Part 68

This equipment complies with Part 68 of the FCC rules. On the bottom of this equipment is a label that contains, among other inform a ti on, the FCC equivalence number (REN) for thi s equipment. If req uested, this information must be provided to th e telephone compan y.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

This modem uses the USOC RJ-11 telephone jack.

The REN is used to determine the quantity of devices which may be connected to the telephone line. Excessive RENs on the telephone line may result in the devices not ringing in response to an incomi ng ca l l. In most, but not all areas, the sum of the RENs should not exceed five (5.0). To be certain of the number of devices that may be connected to the line, as determined by the total RENs, contact the telephone company to determine the maximum REN for the calling area.

If the terminal equi pm ent causes harm to the telephone network, the telephone company will notify you in advance that te mporary discontinuance of service may be required. B ut if advance notice is not practical, the telephone company will notify the customer as soon as possible. Also, you will be advised of your right to file a complain t with the FCC if you believe it is necessary.

The telephone company may make change s in its facilities, equipment, ope r at ions or procedures that could affect the operations of the equipment. If this happens, the telepho ne company will provide advance notice in order for you to make the necessary modifications in order to maintain unint errupted service.

If trouble is experienced with this equipment, you can reach the Sony Customer Information Service Center at 1-888-4SONYPC; or write to the Sony Customer Information Servi c e Ce nt er at 12451 Gateway Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33913 or find Sony Customer Se rvice on the web at: http://www.sony.com/pcsupport

Repair of this equipment should be made only by a Sony Service Center or Sony authorized agent. For the Sony Service Center nearest you, call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-6 972).

This equipment can not be use d on public coin service provided by th e telephone company. Connection to Party Line Servic e is subj e ct to

state and possible provincial ta riffs. (Cont ac t the state or provinci al utility service commission, public service commission, or corporation commi ssion, for information.)

Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (United States)

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 makes it unlawful for any person to use a computer or other electronic device to send any message via a telephone facsimile machine unless such mess ag e clearly contains , in a margin at the top or bottom of each transm itted page or on the first page of the transmission, the date and time it is sent and an identification of the business, other entity, or individual sending the message, and t he t el ephone number of the sending machine or such business, ot he r entity, or individual.

In order to program this information into your facsimile machine, see your fax software documentation.

Telephone Consumer Guidelines (Canada)

Please refer to your tele phone directory under ‘Privacy Issues’ and/or ‘Terms of Service.’ For more detailed information, please contact:

CRTC Terrasses de la Chaudiére, T our centrale 1 promenade du Port ag e, 5 é tage Hul l PQ K1A 0N2.

This Class B digital app ar atus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet àppareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-00 3 du Canada.

DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY

You c an re turn your unwanted lith ium ion batteries to your nearest Sony Service Center or Factory Service Center.

In some areas the disposal of lithium

✍

ion batteries in household or business trash may be prohibited.

For the Sony Service Center neare s t you, call 1888-476-6972 in the United States or 1-800961-7669 in Canada.

! Do not handle damaged or leaking

lithium ion batteries.

! Ne pas manipuler le s batteries au

lithium-ion qui fuient ou sont endommagées.

! The battery pack used in this

device may present a fire or chemical burn hazard if mistreated. Do not disassemble, heat above 212° F (100°C) or incinerate. Dispose of used b attery promptly. Keep away from children.

! La manutention incorre cte du

module de batterie de cet appareil présente un risque d'incendie ou de brûlures chimiques. Ne pas démonter, incinérer ou exposer à une température de plus de 100°C. Évacuer promptement la batterie usée. Garder hors de portée des enfants.

INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE

! Danger of explosion if battery is

incorrectly replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Discard used batteries accor ding to the manufacturer’s instructions.

! Une batterie non conf orme

présente un dang er d' ex plosion. La remplacer seulement par une batterie identique ou de type équivalent recommandé par le fabricant. Évacuer les batteries usées selon les directives du fabricant.

NOTICE: The Industry Canada label i dentifies certified equipmen t. This certification means that the equipm ent meets certain telecommunications network protective, operational and safety requi rements as prescribed in the approp riate Terminal Equipment Technical Requir em ents document(s). The Department does not guarantee the equipment will operate to the user’s satisfaction.

Before installing this equ ipment, users should ensure that it is pe rm is s ible to be connected to the faciliti es of the local telecommu n ications company. The equipment must also be installed using an acceptable method of connection.

The custom er s h ould be aware that co mpliance with the above conditions may not prevent degradation of service in some situ ations.

Repairs to certified equipment should be coordinated by a representative designated by the supplier. Equipment malfun ct ions or any repairs or alterations made by the user to this

VAIO Notebook User Guide

equipment may give the telecommunicati ons company cause to request that the user disconnect the eq uipment.

Users should ensure for their own protection that the electrical ground connections of the power utility, telephone lines and internal metallic water pi p e syst em, if present, are connected together. Th is pr ecaution may be particularly impo rt ant in rural areas.

Caution: Users should not attempt to make such connections themse lves , but shoul d contact the appropriate elect ri c inspection authorit y, or electrician, as appropriate.

NOTICE: The Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) assigned to each terminal device provides an indication of the maximum number of terminals allowed to be connected to a telephone inte rface. The terminat ion on an interface may cons ist of any combination of devices subject only to the requirement that the sum of the Ringer Equivalence Numbers of all the devices does not exceed 5. The Ringer Equivalence Number for this equipment is 0. 0.

AVIS DE L’INDUSTRIE CANADA

AVIS: L’étiquette d’Industrie Canada ide nt ifie le matériel homologué.

Cette étiquett e cer tifie que le matériel est conforme aux normes de protection, d’exploitation et de sécuri té des réseaux de télécommunications, c om m e le pre scrivent les documents concernant les exigences techniques relatives au matériel terminal. Le Ministère n’assure toutefois pas que le ma tériel fonctionnera à la satisfaction de l’utilisateur.

Avant d’installer c e m atériel, l’utilisat eur doit s’assurer qu’il est perm is de le raccorder aux installations de l’entreprise locale d e télécommunication. Le matériel doit également être installé en suivant une méthode acceptée de raccordement. L’abonné ne doit pas oublier

qu’il est possible que la conformité aux conditions énoncées ci-dessus n’empêche pas la dégradation du service dans certaines situations.

Les réparations de matériel homologué doivent être coordonnées par un repré sentant désigné par le fournisseur. L’entreprise de télécommunications peut demande r à l’utilisateur de débrancher un appareil à la suite de réparations ou de modifications effectuées par l’utilisateur ou à cau s e de mauvais fonctionnement.

Pour sa propre protecti on, l’utilisateur doit s’assurer que tous les fils de mise à la terre de la source d’énergie él ectrique, des lign es téléphoniques et des canal isations d’eau métalliques, s’il y en a, sont raccordés ensemble. Cett e p réc au tion e st pa rt ic uliè r ement importante dans les régions rurales.

Avertissement: L’utilisateur ne doit pas tenter de faire ces raccordements lui-même; il doit avoir recours à un service d’inspection des installations électriques, ou à u n électricien, selon le cas.

AVIS: L’indice d’équivalence de la sonnerie (IES) assigné à chaque dispositif terminal indique le nombre maximal de terminaux qui peuvent être raccordés à une interface.

La terminaison d’une interface téléphonique peut consister en une combination de quelques dispositifs, à la seule condition que la somme d’indices d’équ ivalence de la s onnerie de tous les dispositifs n’excède pas 5. L ’indice d’équivalence de la sonnerie de ce matériel est de 0.0.

Contents

Welcome ....................................................11

Features ....................................................................11

Unpacking Your Notebook ......................................1 2

Ergonomic Considerations .......................................15

Setting Up Your VAIO® Notebook ..........19

Locating Controls and Connectors ...........................19

Connecting a Power Source .....................................2 3

Starting Your Computer ...........................................29

Shutting Down Your Computer ...............................30

Using Your VAIO® Notebook ..................31

Using the Keyboard .... ....... ...... ....... ...... ....... ....... ......31

Using the Touchpad ........................................... ......36

Using the Floppy Disk Drive ...................................38

Using the DVD-ROM Drive ....................................41

Using PC Cards ................. ...... ....... ...... ....... ....... ......46

Using Infrared Communication Devices ..................49

Using a Second Battery Pack ...................................51

Using the Weight Saver .................. ...... ....... ....... ......54

Connecting Peripheral Devices ..............57

Connecting an i.LINK® Device ...............................58

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Power Saving Modes ...............................60

Connecting a Phone Line .........................................63

Using Ethernet to Connect to a Network .................64

Connecting a Printer ................................................65

Connecting an External Mouse or Keyboard ...........66

Connecting an External Display ..............................67

AV Devices .............. ...... ....... ...... ....... ...... ....... ....... ..7 0

Connecting the Port Replicator ................................71

Connecting External Speakers .................................75

Connecting an External Microphone .......................76

Connecting a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Device ..77

Adding Memory ........................................79

About the Software on Your Notebook ..83

About Your Software ...............................87

PictureGear™ ..........................................................90

About Your Recovery CDs ......................................92

For Answers to Your Software Questions ...............92

Using the System and Application Recovery CDs ..95

Troubleshooting ....................................... 99

Specifications ........................................111

Index ........................................................ 115

Welcome

Congratulations on your purchase of the Sony VAIO® notebook. Sony has combined leading-edge technology in audio, video, computing, and communications to provide you with state-of-the-art personal computing.

Features

For a complete description of the specifications of your VAIO® Notebook, see

✍

page 111.

❑ Exceptional performance —

Your notebook includes a mobile Intel Pentium® III processor featuring Intel® SpeedStep™ and a V.90 compatible K56flex modem.

❑ Portability —

Rechargeable battery pack provides hours of use without AC

power.

❑ Sony audio and video quality —

High-quality MPEG1/MPEG2 video, which supports full-screen display and enables you to take advantage of today’s advanced multimedia applications, games, and entertainment software.

❑ Multimedia features —

Enjoy the stereo speakers or use a headphone (not

supplied) to listen to audio and video CDs.

❑ Microsoft

Microsoft

Windows® operating system —

Windows® Millennium Edition or Microsoft® Windows® 2000

Your system includes

Professional.

❑ Communications —

Access popular online services, send e-mail, browse

the Internet, and use fax features.

❑ Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) —

This new optical storage technology that provides increased storage capacity and a rich multimedia computing experience. DVD-ROM drives play both DVD-ROM and CD-ROM discs.

* Actual upload and download sp eeds may vary due to line conditions, ISP support, and gov-

ernment regulations.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Unpacking Your Notebook

Remove the following hardware items from the box:

Main unit

Power cord

AC adapter

Video cable Rechargeable

battery pack

* Removable floppy di sk dri ve i s in the multipurpose bay.

Weight sa ver

Manuals

❑ VAIO® User Guide —

supplementary updates and so ft ware information. This manual desc ribes t he features and specifications of your notebook, the applications included with your system, how to contact software vendors, and solve common problems.

❑ Microsoft® Windows® Millennium Edition Getting Started manual or the

Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional Getting Started manual —

Explains how to use the basic features of this latest Windows operating system.

Contains information on setting up your notebook,

Software CDs

Unpacking Your Notebook

❑ Microsoft® Word 2000 —

Allows you to reinstall Microsoft Word to the

VAIO notebook you purchased.

Recovery CDs

❑ System Recovery CD(s) —

shipped with your computer if they become corrupted or are erased. It can only be used to restore the hard disk of the VAIO notebook you purchased.

❑ Application Recovery CD(s) —

applications or device drivers if they become corrupted or erased.

Allows you to restore the software titles that

Allows you to reinstall individual

Other

Setting up your VAIO® Notebook (poster)

❑

Packet containing special product offers

❑

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Ergonomic Considerations

You will be using your noteb ook computer as a portable device in a variety of environments. Whenever possible, you should attempt to apply th e following ergonomic considerations to both stationary and portable environments.

Ergonomic P os ition

Computer positioned directly in front of you

Arms at desk level

Wrists relaxed and flat

❑ Position of your computer —

Place the computer directly in front of you as you work. Keep your forearms horizontal, with your wrists in a neutral, comfortable position while using the keyboard, touchpad, or external mouse. Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides. Take breaks during sessions with your computer. Excessive use of the computer may strain muscles or tendons.

❑ Furniture and posture —

Sit in a chair with good back support and armrests. Adjust the level of the chair so your feet are flat on the floor. A footrest may make you more comfortable. Sit in a relaxed, upright posture and avoid slouching forward or leaning far backward.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

❑ Viewing angle of the computer’s display —

Use the display’s tilting feature to find the best position. You can reduce eye strain and muscle fatigue by adjusting the tilt of the display to the proper position. Adjust th e brightness setting of the display also.

❑ Lighting —

Choose a location where windows and lights do not create glare and reflection on the display. Use indirect lighting to avoid bright spots on the display. You can also purchase accessories for your display that help reduce glare. Proper lighting adds to your comfort and work effectiveness.

❑ Placement of an external display —

When using an external display, set the display at a comfortable viewing distance. Make sure the display screen is at eye level or slightly lower when you are sitting in front of the monitor.

Notes on Setup

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 95º F (35º C) or less than 18º F

❑

(10º C) High humidity

❑

Do not place electronic equipment near your computer. The computer’s

❑

electromagnetic field may cause a malfunction. Provide adequate air circulation to prevent internal heat buildup. Do not

❑

place your computer on porous surfaces such as rugs or blankets, or near materials such as curtains or draperies that may block its ventilation slots. Leave a space of at least 8 inches (20 cm) behind the back panel of the computer.

If the computer is brought directly from a cold location to a warm one,

❑

moisture may condense inside your computer. In this case, allow at least an hour before turning on your computer. If any problems occur, unplug your computer, and contact your Sony Servic e Center.

Ergonomic Considerations

The computer uses high-frequency radio signals and may cause interference

❑

to radio or TV reception. Should this occur, relocate the computer a suitable distance away from the set.

Use only specified peripheral equipment and interface cables; otherwise,

❑

problems may result. Do not use cut or damaged connection cables.

❑

If the telephone company makes a service call to your home or office and

❑

determines that your computer is responsible for a problem, the telephone company may bill you for the service call. Also, if you do not disconnect your computer when it is adversely affecting the telephone line, the telephone company has the right to disconnect your service until you correct the problem.

Handling Your Notebook

Clean the cabinet with a soft, dry cloth or a soft cloth lightly moistened with

❑

a mild detergent solution. Do not use any type of abrasive pad, scouring powder, or solvent such as alcohol or benzine, as these may damage the finish of your computer.

Should any solid object or liquid fall into the comp uter, shut down your

❑

computer and then unplug it. You may wan t to ha ve the computer check ed by qualified personnel before operating it any further.

Do not drop the computer or place heavy objects on top of the computer.

❑

Cleaning Your Notebook

Make sure to disconnect the power cord before cleaning the computer.

❑

A v o id rubbing th e LCD screen as this can damage the screen. Use a soft, dry

❑

cloth to wipe the LCD screen. Clean the computer with a soft cloth lightly moistened with a mild detergent

❑

solution. Do no t use any type of abra sive pad, scouring powder or solvent, such as alcohol or benzine.

Handling the LCD Screen

Do not leave the LCD facing the sun as it can damage the LCD. Be careful

❑

when using the computer near a window.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Do not scratch the LCD or exert pressure on it. This could cause

❑

malfunction. Using the computer in low temperature conditions may produce a residual

❑

image on the screen. This is not a malfunction. When the computer returns to normal temperature, the screen returns to normal.

The screen becomes warm during operation. This is normal and does not

❑

indicate a malfunction. The LCD is manufactured using high-precision technology. You may,

❑

however, see tiny black points and/or bright points (red, blue, or green) that continuously appear on the LCD. This is a normal result of the manufacturing process and does not indicate a malfunction.

Setting Up Your VAIO® Notebook

This section describes how to start using your notebook and how to use your computer’ s internal an d e xternal devices, such as the touchpad, floppy disk drive, and DVD-ROM drive.

Locating Controls and Connectors

Front

1 LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen 2 Speakers 3 Keyboard 4 Touchpad 5 Left/right buttons 6 Power indicator 7 Battery 1 and 2 indicators 8 Hard disk drive indicator 9 Num Lock indicator 10 Caps Lock indicator 11 Scroll Lock indic at or

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Left

1 i.LINK® (IEEE1394) S400 conne c tor 2 Infrared por t 3 Video out 4 Headphone con ne ct or 5 6 PC card slots 7 Battery bay

Microphone connector

Right

1 PPK buttons 2 Power button 3 DVD-ROM drive 4 Multipurpose bay

Back

Locating Controls and Connectors

cover

VAIO Notebook User Guide

1 Modem jack 2 PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard connector 3 Serial connector 4 Printer connector 5 Monitor connector 6 USB connectors 7 DC In connector

There is a ventilation slot located between the USB connector and the DC In connector .

✍

Do not cover the ventilation slot when your computer is on.

Bottom

1 Port replicator co nn ec to r co ve r 2 Multipurpose bay RELEASE lever 3 Tilt stands

Connecting a Power Source

You can use either AC power or a rechargeable battery pack as a power source.

Using the AC Adapter

Plug the cable attached to the AC adapter into the DC In connector on the

computer. Plug one end of the power cord into the AC adapter.

Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet.

Connecting the AC adapter

Notebook

AC adapter (supplied)

DC In

Notes on the AC Adapter

Power cord (supplied)

Your computer operates on 100V-240V AC 50/60 Hz.

❑

Do not share the AC outlet with other power-consuming equipment, such as

❑

a copy machine or shredder . You can purchase a power strip with a surge protector. This device prevents

❑

damage to your computer caused by sudden power surges such as those that may occur during an electrical storm.

Do not place heavy objects on the power cord.

❑

To disconnect the cord, pull it out by the plug. Never pull the cord itself.

❑

Unplug your computer from the wall outlet if you will not be using the

❑

computer for a long time. When the AC adapter is not used, unplug it from the AC outlet.

❑

Use only the AC adapter supplied. Do not use any other AC adapter.

❑

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Using Battery Power

You can use one or two battery packs as a source of power. The second battery pack inserts into the multipurpose bay on the right side of the computer. (See “Power Saving Modes” on page60.) Additional battery packs are available as a separate option.

The battery pack that comes with your computer is not fully charged at the time of purchase. Follow the steps below to insert and charge the battery pack.

To insert the battery pack

To open the battery bay, press cover down.

Cover swings out but does not det ach.

✍

Battery bay

Connecting a Power Source

Insert the battery pack into the battery bay on the left side of the computer.

Inserting battery pack

Battery pack (supplied)

Label side facing down

Close the cover of the battery bay until it clicks.

If the port replicator is attached to your computer, do not attempt to insert or remove

✍

the battery pack. Lifting and turning the computer with a port replicator attached could cause a temporary loss of power.

To charge the battery pack

Connect the AC adapter to the computer.

Insert the battery pack.

The computer automatically charges the battery (the battery indicator light flashes in a double blink pattern as the battery charges).

When the battery is 85% full, the battery indicator light turns off. This

process takes approxi mat el y two hours.

To charge the batter y completely, continue charging for an additional hour. See

✍

“Displaying Battery Information” in the onli ne manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” .

VAIO Notebook User Guide

There are two battery indicator lights on the computer

Battery indicator lights

Battery indicators

Secondary battery pack (optional)

Battery pack (supplied)

Battery Indicator Meaning

Indicates the status of the battery pack in the battery bay on the left side of the computer.

Indicates the status of the batte ry pack in th e mult ipurp ose bay o n the right side of the computer.

Battery Indicator Light

Meaning

Status On The computer is using battery power. Single blink The battery is running out of power. Double blink The battery is charging. Off The computer is using AC power.

To remove the battery pack

Open the battery bay cover.

Pull out the battery pack.

Removing the battery pack

Close the cover of the battery bay.

You will lose data if you remove the battery pack while the computer is on and not connect ed to the AC adapter or if you remove the battery while the computer is in a power-saving mode

Connecting a Power Source

Notes on the battery

To determine the remaining battery charge, see “Displaying Battery

❑

Information” in the online manual When the battery power is running low, both the battery and power

❑

“Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook”

indicators blink. When the computer is directly connected to A C po wer and h as a battery pack

❑

in the battery bay, it uses power from the AC outlet. See “Using a Second Battery Pack” on page 51 for information on installing

❑

and charging a battery pack in the multipurpose bay. Keep the battery pack in the computer while it is directly connected to AC

❑

power. The battery pack continues to charge while you are using the computer.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

If the battery level falls below 10%, you should either attach the AC adapter

❑

to recharge the battery o r shut do wn your co mputer and insert a fully char ged battery .

You can extend battery lif e by changing the p ower-management modes in

❑

the PowerPanel utility. See “Power Saving Modes” on page 60. The battery pack supplied with your computer is a lithium-ion b attery and

❑

can be recharged at any time. Charging a partially discharged battery does not affect battery life.

The battery indicator light is on while you use the battery pack as a power

❑

source. When battery life is nearly depleted, the battery indicator starts flashing.

For some softwar e appli cati ons and s ome per i pher a l d evices, your computer

❑

may not enter System Hibernation mode when the battery life is low. To avoid loss of data when using battery power, you should save your data frequently and manually activate a power-management mode, such as System Suspend or System Hibernation.

Never leave the battery pack in temperatures above 140° F (60° C), such as

❑

under direct sunlight or in a car parked in the sun. Battery life is shorter in a cold environment. This is due to decreased battery

❑

efficiency at low temperatures. Charge the batteries at temperatures between 50° F and 80° F (10°C to

❑

30°C). Lower temperatures require a longer charging time. While the battery is in use or being discharged, the battery pack heats up.

❑

This is normal and is not cause for con cern. Keep the battery pack away from all sources of heat.

❑

Keep the battery pack dry.

❑

Do not open or tr y to disassemble the battery pack.

❑

Do not expose the battery pack to any mechanical shock.

❑

If you are not using the computer for an extended period of time, remove the

❑

battery pack from the computer to prevent damage to the battery. If, after fully charging the battery pack, the battery power is still low, the

❑

battery pack may be reaching the end of its life and should be replaced. You do not need to discharge the battery before recharging.

❑

If you have not used the battery pack for a considerable amount of time,

❑

recharge the battery.

Starting Your C omputer

Starting Your Computer

Slide the LCD lock lever in the direction of the arrow, and lift the cover.

Opening the computer

LCD lock lever

Press the power button on top of the computer until the green power

indicator light turns on.

(Windows Me only) When starting your notebook for the first time, the VAIO

✍

InitManager dialog box will appear. Please select “OK” to begin initial setup. If you do not execute the initial setup, you cannot use VAIO original hardware functions such as PPK, Power Management tools, the scro ll function of the tou chpad, and keyboard shortcut key combined with Fn key.

Power button

Power b utton

Power indicator

If you hold the power button in the On position for more than four seconds, the

✍

computer turns off.

Power button

VAIO Notebook User Guide

If necessary, adjust the brightness controls for the LCD display:

Decrease brightness, press Fn+F5 and then the down or left arrow key.

❑

Increase brightness, press Fn+F5 and then the up or right arrow key.

❑

Shutting Down Your Computer

To avoid potential loss of data, follow these steps to shut down your computer.

Click the Start button on the Windows® taskbar.

Click Shut Down at the bottom of the Start menu to display the Shut Down

Windows dialog box. Select Shut down.

Click OK.

Respond to any prompt s warning you to save documents.

✍

W ait for your computer to turn of f automatically—po wer indicator turns of f.

Turn off any peripherals connected to your computer.

During a period of inactivity, you can conserve battery life by using System Suspend

✍

mode. See “Controlling Power Management” in the online manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” .

If you are unable to shut down your computer:

Close or end all operations:

close all applications

❑

remove the PC cards

❑

disconnect USB devices

❑

end Infrared Communication

❑

Then, restart the computer. You can restart your computer by pressing

Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys (at the same time).

If you are still unable to shut down the computer, you can press the power button and

✍

hold it for four secon ds. This operation may result in data loss.

Using Your VAIO® Notebook

Using the Keyboard

Your keyboard is very similar to a typewriter’s, but the keyboard has additional keys that perform specific computer-related tasks.

Keyboard

Correction keys

Shift key

Escape Key

Function keys

Print Screen key

Ctrl key

Applications key

Fn key

Alt key

Windows key

Numeric keypad area

Navigation keys

Key Description

Numeric keypad area

Contains the keys found on a typi cal calculator. Use the numeric keypad area to type numbers or to perform mathematical calculations such as addition and subtraction. Note that you must press the Num Lock key to activate the numeric keypad. (When

you do so, the Num Lock light will be on.) Navigation keys Several keys are devoted to moving the cursor on the scre en. Correction keys The Insert, Back Space, and Delete keys enable you to make

corrections in yo ur documents.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Key Description

Function keys The twelve function keys along the top of the keyboard are use d

to perform designated tasks. For example, in many applications, F1 is the Help key. The task associated with each function key

may vary from one application to the next. Escape key The Esc (Escape) key is used to cancel commands. Print Screen key The Print Screen key takes an electronic snapshot of the screen

and places it in the Windows Clipboard. You can th en paste the

screen shot into a document and print it. Operator keys Several keys are always used with at least one other key: Ctrl,

Alt, and Shift. When held down with another key, the Ctrl

(Control) and Alt (Alternate) keys offer another way to give

commands. For example, in many appl ications, instead of

choosing the Save command from a menu, you can hold down

Ctrl and press S (referred to as Ctrl+S). The Shift key operates

the same way as on a typewriter; it is used to produce capital

letters or special s ymbols su ch as @ and $ . Windows key The key with the Windows logo displays the Windows Start

menu; it is the equivalent of clicking the Start button on the

taskbar. See “Combinations and Functions with the Windows

Key” on page 32. Fn key The Fn key is used in combination with other keys to issue

commands. See “Combinations and Functions with the Fn Key”

on page 34. Applications key The Applications key displays a shortcut menu of context-

sensitive choices. Pressing this key is the equivalent of clicking

the right mouse button.

Combinations and Functions with the Windows Key

Combination Function

+ F1 Displays Windows Help. + Tab Switches the selected button on the taskbar. + E Displays Windows Explorer. + F Displays the Windows Find: All Files window to find a file or

folder. This is the equivalent of selecting Find and then Files or

Folders from the Start menu.

Using the Ke y boa rd

Combination Function

+ Ctrl + F Displays the Windows Find: Computer window where you can

locate other computers. This is the equivalent of selecting Find and then Computer from the Start menu.

+ M Minimizes all displayed windows.

Shift + + M Re turns all minimized windows to their previous size.

+ R Displays the Run windo w. This is the equivalent of selecting Run

from the Start menu.

Fn + + Insert Displays the Properties window. This is the equivalent of double-

clicking the System icon in the Control Panel.

Indicators

Indicator Function

Power Light is green when the power to the computer is turned on.

Light is red in System Idle mode, and flashes red in System Suspend mode. The light turns off when the computer is in System Hibernation mode or powered off.

Battery 1 Indicates the status of the battery inserted in the battery

bay on the left side of the computer.

Battery 2 Indicates the status of the battery inserted in the

multipurpose drive bay on the right side of the computer.

Hard disk Lights when data is being read from or written to the hard

drive. Do not enter System Suspend mode or turn off the computer when this indicator light is on.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Indicator (continued)

Light On Off

Num Lock The number keys in the

numeric keypad are active.

The alphanumeric character keys in the keypad area are active.

Caps Lock The letters appear in uppercase

as you type. The Shift key lowers the case of typed letters when Caps Lock is on.

Scroll Lock The screen scrolls differently.

(Exactly how it scrolls depends on the specific application. It

Letters appear in lower case as you type (unless you hold down the Shift key).

Information moves across the display

normally. has no effect in many applications.)

Combinations and Functions with the Fn Key

Combinations/ Feature Function

Fn+ (ESC) System Suspend

Fn+ (F2) Display power source status

Puts the system into System Suspend mode, a powermanagement state. To return the system to the active state, press any key or press the power button on your computer.

Displays the power source status, as in the example below:

Using AC power

Charging a battery pack

Fn+ (F3) Mute On/Off

Fn+ (F4) Speaker volume

Fn+ (F5) Brightness control

Fn+ (F6) Contrast control

Toggles the built-in sp eaker off and on.

Adjusts the built-in speaker volume. To increase volume, press Fn+F4, then or . To decrease volume, press Fn+F4, then or .

➜

Adjusts the brightness of the LCD. To increase light intensity, press Fn+F5 and then or .

➜

To decrease light intensity, press Fn+F5 and then or . Adjust the screen contrast (some models only).

➜

Using the Ke y boa rd

Combinations and Functions with the Fn Key (Continued)

Combinations/ Feature Function

LCD

Fn+ / (F7) Switch to the external monitor/LCD

LCD

Fn+ only/

(F8)

Control TV out

Toggles through the LCD, external display (connected to the Monitor connector) and both LCD and external display.

Only LCD

LCD and external display

Only external display

Toggles between LCD-only and dual LCD/TV display modes.

Only LCD

LCD and external display

Only external display

Fn+ (F12) System Hibernation

Provides for the lowest level of power consumption. When you execute this command, the state of the system and state of the peripheral devices are written to the hard disk and the system power is turned off. To return the system to its original st ate, use t he power button to turn on power .

Fn+D Video standby

Fn+S System Idle

Turns off the LCD to save power. To turn the LCD back on, press any key (Windows® Me only).

Puts the system into System Idle mode, a powermanagement state. To return the system to the active state, press any key.

Some functions ar e not available until Windows launches.

✍

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Using the Touchpad

The keyboard contains a cursor-pointing device called a touchpad. You can point to, select, drag, and scroll objects on the screen using the built-in touchpad.

Touchpad

Pointer

Touchpad

Right button

Left button

Action Description

Point Slide one finger on the touchpad to place the pointer on an

item or object. Click Press the left button once. Double-click Press the left button twice.

Using the Touchpad

Action Description

Right-click Press the right button once. In many applic ations, this

action displays a shortcut menu of context-sensitive choices.

Drag Slide one finger while pressing the left button. Scroll Move your finger along the right edge of the touchpad to

scroll vertically. Move your finger along the bottom to scroll horizontally. (The scroll function is available only with applications that support a touchpad scroll feature.)

See Mouse Properties fo r information on touchpad features, such as clicking bot h

✍

buttons simulta neously, adjusting touchpad speed, and Easy Launcher functions. To access Mouse Properties, click the Start button, point to Settings, point to Control Panel, and then click the Mouse icon in the Control Panel.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Using the Floppy Disk Drive

Your computer comes with the floppy disk drive in the multipurpose bay.

To insert a diskette

Hold the diskette the label side f acing up.

Gently push the diskette into the drive until it clicks into place.

Diskette

Floppy disk drive

To remove a diskette

When you finish using the diskette, wait until the LED indicator light turns

❑

off and then press the Eject button to remove the diskette.

Eject button

LED indicator

Do not push the eject button when the LED indicator is turned on. Otherwise,

✍

data maybe lost.

Using the Floppy Disk Drive

To remove the floppy disk drive

Turn off the computer.

There is a RELEASE lever on the bottom of the computer. Slide this lever in

the direction of the arrow.

Multipurpose bay release lever

Multipurpose RELEASE lever

Slide the drive out of the multipurpose bay.

Insert the weight saver. See “Using the Weight Saver” on page 54.

To reinsert the floppy disk drive

Turn off the computer.

If another device is in the multipurpose bay, remove the device. See “To

remove the second battery pack” on page 53.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Insert the floppy disk drive into the multipurpose b a y with the VAIO label

facing up. Continue pushing the drive into the bay until the RELEASE lever locks into place.

Inserting the floppy disk drive

Multipurpose bay

Floppy dis k dr ive

Using the DVD-ROM Drive

Your computer comes with a DVD-ROM drive, which plays both DVD and CD.

To insert a disc

Turn on th e comput er.

When the computer is in System Suspend or System Hibernation mod e , you

✍

cannot insert a disc. See “Controlling Power Management” in the online manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” for more information on System Suspend and System Hibernation modes.

Press the Eject button to open the DVD-ROM drive.

The tray slides out.

DVD eject

Eject button

Place a CD or DVD on the tray with the label side facing up. For DVDs

which can be played on both sides, the side of the disc facing up is the side that plays.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Push the disc onto the hub until the disc clicks securely into place.

Inserting a DVD/CD

Label side facing facing up

Using the DVD-ROM Drive

Close the tray by pushing it gently.

Be sure to seat the disc firmly over the hub fingers. If you do not seat the disc firmly,

✍

you could damage your DVD- ROM drive and you may not be able to open the tray. When you finish using a disc, wait until the LED indicator light turns off, then press the

Eject button to remove the disc. When the computer is in Power Saving modes, you cannot remove a disc. See

“Controlling Powe r Management” in the online manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” for more information about Power Saving modes.

If the disc does not come out when you press the Eject butt on, turn off the computer and insert a thin, pointed object into the manual eject hole.

Manual eject hole

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Playing a DVD

To achieve optimum performance when playing DVDs, it is recommended that your computer not be connected to the port replicator while playing D VD movies or using DVD applications. Close any open applications before playing a DVD movie.

When playing D VD movies on battery power, set the power management profile to

✍

DVD. With other profi les, the movies are choppy. As an alternative, you ca n set the power management profile to Automatic Profile Selection, which will cause the DVD profile to be selected automatically whenever y ou insert a DVD. See “Controlling Power Management” in the online manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” for information on how to set the power management profile.

You can play DVDs using a DVD-ROM drive and the Media Bar software.

❑

See the online manual that came with the Media Bar software for details.

Some discs recorded at 20 or 24 bits may produce noise while playing. If you have audio devices co nnected, this may cause damage to your hearing and the speakers. Reduce the volume before playing such discs.

You cannot switch between LCD and TV if you press Fn+F8 when a DVD is inserted in the DVD-ROM drive.

If you have connected a TV, follow the instructions in “Selecting the Display Mode” in the online manual

Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook

(PCG-F690/PCG-F690K only) When a TV is connected, a part of the video screen will not appear with the factory setting. Adjust the display resolution to 1024 x 768 as described in the online manual

Notebook”

“Customizing Your VAIO®

Using the DVD-ROM Drive

Notes on CD and DVD media

Do not drop or bend the disc.

❑

Do not touch the surface of the disc. Fingerprints and dust on the surface of a

❑

disc may cause read errors. Proper care of the disc is essential to maintain its reliability. Do not use solvents such as benzine, thinner, commercially available cleaners or anti-static spray, as they may cause damage to the disc.

For normal cleaning, hold the disc by its edge and u se a soft cloth to wipe the

❑

surface from the center out. If the disc is badly soiled, moisten a soft cloth wit h 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

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Using PC Cards

Your computer includes two PC card slots. PC cards allow you to connect portable external devices such as another hard disk drive, or to connect a network.

The PC card slots can accommodate two Type II PC cards, or one Type III PC card.

✍

These slots are compatible with Card Bus. Use the lower slot for Type III PC cards. You do not need to shut do wn your notebook before inserting or removing a PC card.

To insert a PC card

Pull the PC card release button out from the computer, and then push it in

toward the computer. This will extend the PC card slot protector.

PC card release lever

Remove the PC card slot protector.

When you use a Type III PC card, you need to remove both the top and bottom PC card slot protectors.

Using PC Cards

PC card slot protector

Insert the PC card into the PC card slot, front label facing up. Gently push

the card into the slot until the card is fixed into the connector. The release button extends. Fold the release button back down into the

notebook.

Inserting a PC card

Insert with the arrow facing forward

PC card

Do not force a PC ca rd into the slot as this may damage th e connector pins. Do not carry your comput er while touching the hea d of a PC card (such as a

wireless LAN card), pressure or shock may damage the connector pins.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

To remove a PC card

If your computer is turned off, you do not have to follow these instructions.

✍

Double-click in the system task tray.

The “Unplug or Eject hardware” dialog box appears.

In the Unplug or Eject Hardware dialog box, select the appropriate option,

and then click Stop. Confirm the device and click OK.

A message appears informing y ou that t he de vice can no w b e safely remo ved

from the system. Press the PC card RELEASE button to remove the PC card.

Notes on using PC cards

For some PC cards, if you alternate between no rmal po wer operation an d the

❑

System Suspend or System Hibernation power-management modes while the card is inserted, you may find that a device connected to your system is not recognized. Reboot your system to correct the problem.

Some PC cards may require that you disable idle devices when using the PC

❑

card. You can use Sony Notebook Setup to disable devices. See “Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen” in the online manual

VAIO® Notebook”

Be sure to use the most recent software driver provided by the PC card

❑

for details.

manufacturer. If an “!” mark appears on the Device Manager tab in the System Properties

❑

dialog box, remove the software driver and then reinstall it. You may not be able to use some PC cards or some functions of the PC card

❑

with this computer. If yo u ha ve difficulty inserting a card, check that you are orienting the card correctly. See the manual that came with your PC card for more information on use.

“Customizing Your

Using Infrared Communication Devices

Your computer includes an infrared port, located on the left side. Y ou can use this port to communicate with other infrared-equipped devices with compatible protocols, such as a digital still camera or other computers.

To use infrared communication with another computer

Align the infrared ports on the two computers so that they are in a direct line.

Connecting with Infrared

Infrared communication capability can be turned on and off. By default, it is disabled

✍

when your system is shipped. Use the infrared icon in the Windows enable/disable infrared communication.

Control Panel to

To enable infrared for Windows Me™

Click Wireless Link icon in the Windows Control Panel.

Wireless link dialogue box displays. Select File Transfer Options Allow others to send files to your computer

using infrared communications and/or Display status while receiving files. Click OK.

Infrared Monitor icon appears in the task tray, open the monitor to verify that

your computer has detected a nearby unit. Once another unit is detected, your computer is ready to send/receive data.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

To enable infrared for Windows 2000

Click Infrared icon in the Windows Control Panel.

Wireless link dialogue box displays. Select Enable infrared communication on the Options tab.

Click OK.

Infrared Monitor icon appears in the task tray, open the monitor to verify that

your computer has detected a nearby unit. Once another unit is detected, your computer is ready to send/receive data.

Infrared range

)

Infrared port

approximately

15 degrees

Notes on using the Infrared Port

If the devices are too far apart or too close together, data transfer may be

❑

interrupted or there may be noise in the transmission. The active area of

infrared transmission extends about 39

/8 inches (1 meter) with a radius of

approximately 15 degrees. Covering the infrared ports with your hand or any other object will disrupt

❑

data transfer. Avoid direct sunlight, fluorescent light, or flashing incandescent light near

❑

the infrared ports. Disable infrared communication when you are not using it to conserve

❑

battery life.

Using a Second Battery Pack

You can purchase a second rechargeable battery pack. With two battery packs, you can extend the time that you use your computer with battery power. When using two battery packs, the battery pack you insert first char ges f irst. The battery pack you insert second charges when the first battery pack is 85 percent full. You can monitor which battery pack is charging by observing the battery indicator lights.

To insert a second battery pack

If another device is in the multipurpose bay, remove the device.

Insert the battery pack into the multipurpose bay.

If the battery is being used, the battery 2 indicator light turns on.

Second battery in multipurpose bay

Multipurpose bay

Battery pack

Label side facing down

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Attach the weight saver to the computer to stabilize the battery pack. There

is a RELEASE lever on the bottom of the weight saver. Slide the lever toward the front of the computer to lock the weight saver. See also “Using the Weight Saver” on page 54.

Using weight saver for second battery cover

Battery pack

Weight saver

To charge the second battery pack

Keep the battery pack in the computer while it is connected to AC power. The battery indicator flashes while the battery is charging. See also “To charge the battery pack” on page 25 for more information.

Charging the second battery

Battery indicators

Second battery pack (optional)

Battery pack (supplied)

To determine the amount of ti me the battery lasts, see “Displaying Battery

✍

Information” in the online manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” .

Using a Second Battery Pack

To remove the second battery pack

If you attach two battery packs, you can remove either of them without shutting down the computer. When removing one battery pack, make sure that the other battery pack’s indicator light is on. If the indicator light of the battery pack you are removing is on, right-click the battery icon on the task tray and click the “Switch discharge battery” option.

There is a Release lever on the bottom of the weight saver. To remove the

battery pack, slide this lever in the direction of arrow 1, then slide the RELEASE lever on the bottom of the computer in the direction of arrow 2.

Multipurpose bay release levers

Arrow 1: Weig ht saver Release lever

Arrow 2: RELEASE lever

Remove the weight saver, an d then pull out the battery pack.

Reinsert the weight saver. See “Using the Weight Saver” on page 54.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Using the Weight Saver

The weight saver protects the multipurpose bay when it is empty.

To attach the weight saver

If another device is in the multipurpose bay, remove the device. See “To

remove the second battery pack” on page 53. Fold out th e hinged ar m of the weigh t sa v er an d then push on th e hinged ar m

to lock it into place. Slide the weight saver in the direction of the arrow until it clicks.

Inserting the weight saver

Manually lock the weight saver’s Release lever.

Weight saver (supplied)

Using the Weight Saver

To remove the Weight Saver

There is a release lever on the bottom of the weight saver. To remove the

weight saver, slide this lever in the direction of arrow 1, then slide the Release lever on the bottom of the computer in the direction of arrow 2.

Multipurpose bay release levers

Arrow 1: Weight saver Release lever

Arrow 2: Release lever

After removing the weight saver, pull out the weight saver’s hinged arm and

fold it into the weight saver.

VA Notebook User GuideIO

Using Smart Connect

Windows Me™

You can connect your VAIO® notebook to another VAIO computer that has the preinstalled Windows Me operating system or the Sony Smart Connect 3.0 software preinstalled. You may use an i.LINK® cable (optional) to connect the two systems and then use one computer to edit, copy, or delete files on the other computer. You can also print from a printer that is attached to either computer. Select the STD mode in Smart Connect 3.0 software to connect with another computer that has Windows Me preinstalled.

Connecting with an i.Link cable

i.LINK cable

Windows 2000

The preinstalled Smart Connect software allows you to use an i.LINK® cable (optional) to connect your VAIO notebook to another VAIO computer that also has Smart Connect or preinstalled Windows Me. You can then use one computer to edit, copy or delete files on the other computer. You can also print from a printer attached to either computer.

See Smart Connect online help for more information.

When you connect two VAIO computers, you must assign each computer a unique

✍

name. The computers can be identified by this unique name when the two computers are networked together.

If you have previously purchased a VAIO computer or notebook that does not have the

✍

Windows Me operating system or Smart Connect 3.0 software preinstalled, consult the Sony website for support options (http://www.sony.com/pcsupport).

Connecting Peripheral Devices

You can add function ality to your computer by connecting any of these peripherals:

i.LINK device (page 58)

❑

Phone line (page 63)

❑

Local Area Network (LAN) (page 64)

❑

External displa y (page 67)

❑

Universal Serial Bus (USB) device (page 77)

❑

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Connecting an i.LINK® Device

You can connect an i.LINK-enabled digital video camera recorder to the i.LINK® S400 (IEEE1394) connector.

To connect a digital video camera recorder

Plug one end of the i.LINK cable (not supplied) into the i.LINK connector

❑

on the left side of the computer and the other end into the DV In/Out connector on the digital video camera recorder.

i.LINK cables compatible with your VAIO notebook include cables with the following

✍

part numbers: VMC-IL4415 (a 1.5-meter cable with a 4-pin connector at each end), VMC-IL4615 (a 1.5 meter-cable with a 4-pin connector at one end and a 6-pin connector at the other), and VMC-IL4408A (a 0.8-meter cable with a 4-pin connector at each end). You c an purchase these cables from your local retailer, through the Sony VAIO® Direct W eb site (http://www .sonydirect.com/), or by calling 1-888-315-766 9 (toll free).

Connecting digital video camera recorder to i.LINK connector

Digital video camera recorder

to i.LINK

to DV In/Out

i.LINK cable (optional)

Connecting an i.LINK® Device

The Sony digital video camera recorder is pictured; you may need to connect your

✍

camera differently. On Sony digital video cameras, connectors labele d “DV In/Out” or “i.LINK” are i .LINK-

compatible. See the manual that came with your digital video camera recorder for more

information on installat io n and use. Do not connect more than one digital video camera at a time. The software suppli ed

with your computer will not recognize multiple cameras. The i.LINK connector on t he computer does not supply power to external devices. If

the external device requires power from the i.LINK connector, you cannot use the device with the computer.

The computer supports transfer rates up to 400 Mbps; however, the actual transfer rate is the lowest transfer rate of the external device.

The i.LINK features available may vary depending on the sof tware applications you use. See the documentation t hat came with your software for more info rmation.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Power Saving Modes

When you use a battery as the source of pow er for your computer, you can take advantage of power management settings to conserve battery life. In addition to the normal operating mode, which allows you to turn off specific devices, your computer has three distinct power saving modes: System Idle, System Suspend, and System Hibernation. When using battery po wer, be aware that the computer automatically enters System Hibernation mode when the remaining battery charge drops below 5 percent, regardless of the power management setting you select.

If the battery level falls below 10 percent, you should either attach the A C adapter to

✍

recharge the battery or shut down your computer and insert a fully charged battery.

Normal Mode

Normal mode is the normal state of your computer when it is in use. The power indicator light displays green when your computer is in this mode. T o sa ve po wer , you can turn off a specific device such as the LCD or the hard disk.

System Idle Mode

Use the System Idle mode when your computer is not in use for a brief period. Selecting this option places your hard disk and video display in a low power state, and the CPU clock and processor stop. The power indicator light is umber in this mode.

To activate System Idle mode

To activate System Idle mode, press the key combination Fn+S, or use the PowerPanel utility to activate the System Idle mode.

To return to normal mode

Press any key to ret urn to normal Mode.

Power Saving Modes

System Suspend Mode

In System Suspend Mode the computer saves the current state of the system in RAM and switches off power to the CPU. The umber power indicator light flashes in this mode.

To activate System Suspend mode

To activate System Suspend mode, press the key combination Fn+Esc, or press the power button and release it immediately. You can also use the PowerPanel utility to enter System Suspend mod e .

To return to normal mode

Press any key to return to normal mode.

System Hibernation Mode

In the System Hibernation mode, the state of the system is saved on the hard drive and power is turned off. The power indicator light is off in this mode.

To activate System Hibernation mode

To activate System Hibernation mode, press the key combination Fn+F12.

(Windows 2000) The “Save to Disk Manager” screen appears, and then the computer

✍

enters System Hibernation mode.

Do not move the notebook until its power indicator light turns off.

✍

To return to normal mode

To return to normal mode, turn on the computer by pressing the power button. The computer returns to its previous state.

When returning from System Hibernation mode, the system status stored on the hard

✍

disk is erased and the computer starts normally if you press the powe r b ut ton and hold for more than four seconds.

Time required to return to normal mode

❑

System Idle requires less time than System Suspend, and System Suspend

VAIO Notebook User Guide

requires less time than System Hibernation to return to normal mode. Power consumption

❑

System Idle uses more power than System Suspend, and System Suspend uses more power than System Hibernation.

Connecting a Phone Line

You need to connect a phone line to take advantage of online services and the Internet.

In order to register your So ny VAIO notebook, register your software online, and use

✍

Sony Customer Support, you must connect t o a phone line.

Plug one end of the phone cable into the phone line jack on the computer.

Connecting phone cable

Phone line jack

Wall jack

Phone cable (optional)

Plug the other end into the wall jack.

Your computer does not work with party lines, cannot be connected to a coin-operated

✍

telephone, and may not work with multiple phone lines or a private branch exchange (PBX). Some of these connecti ons may result in excess electrical current and could cause a malfunction in the internal modem.

If you connect a phone line coming through a splitter, the modem or connected device may not work properly.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Using Ethernet to Connect to a Network

You can exchange data with other devices on a network by connecting your notebook to your Local Area Network (LAN).

To connect the notebook to a network, you need a network PC card or a port replicator (PCGA-PRF1A). For mo re info rmation o n us ing PC car ds, see “Using PC Cards” on page 46 . Consult the network system administrator to find out about the accessory settings required to access the network.

Setting Up Your Ethernet Connection

Windows Me™ models

Right-click Network Neighborhood and select Properties.

Click Add to add a client, adapter, protocol, or service.

Click File and Print Sharing to enabl e thes e functions.

Select a Primary Network Logon.

Click the Identification tab to set the computer name, workgroup, and

computer description. Click the Access Control tab to set the share level or user level access

control.

Windows 2000 models

To connect to the network

Right-click My Network Places and select Properties.

Click Advanced and select Network Identification to set the computer name,

domain, workgroup, and DNS suffix. You can also use the Network Identification Wizard.

To set the connections, bindings, and provider order

Right-click My Network Places and select Properties

Click Advanced and select Advanced Settings. This will give you access to

Adapters and Protocol Bindings and Pr o v id er Orde r.

Connecting a Printer

You can connect a Windows Me/Windows 2000-compatible printer to your computer to print documents.

To connect a printer

Use the symbol to locate the Printer connector. Plug the printer cable

❑

(supplied with the printer) into this port on the computer.

Printer connector

Printer

See the manual that came with your printer for more information on installation and

✍

use. If your printer stops funct ioning after resuming fr om a power-saving mode, see

“Troubleshooting th e printer” on page 109. Before using the printer, you may need to change the Printer setting in the Sony

Notebook Setup software. See “Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen” in the online manual “Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook” .

Printer cable (supplied with the printer)

Power cord

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Connecting an External Mouse or Keyboard

You can connect a USB or PS/2® style mouse or keyboard. Plug the keyboard cable or mouse cable into the appropriate connector with

the mark facing up.

➠

USB and PS/2 ports

USB

PS/2

Mouse

Keyboard

To connect both a PS/2 mouse and keyboard at the same time, use an optional PS/ 2 division connect or.

You can also use one or both of the USB ports to connect a mouse and keyboard at the same time.

Connecting an External Display

See “Using the Keyboard” on page 31 for more information on using the keyboard.

✍

See the manual that came with your mouse or keyboard for more information on installation and use.

Before you connect or disconnect the mouse or keyboard, turn off the computer. Do not connect or disconnect the PS/2 device (keyboard or mouse) when the

computer is on. It may cause malfunction. A Sony USB mouse PCGA-UMS1 series(not supplied) is a USB device. You must

connect it to the USB connector.

Connecting an External Display

You can connect an external display to your notebook. For example, you can use the computer with any of the following:

Computer disp lay (monitor) (page 67)

❑

Multimedia computer display (page 68)

❑

Projector (page 68)

❑

To connect a computer display

Use the symbol on the back of the computer to locate the Monitor

❑

connector. Plug the display cable (not supplied) into this connector on the back of the computer.

If necessary, plug one end of the display power co rd into th e d isplay, and the

❑

other end into an AC outlet.

Connecting external computer display

Monitor

Computer disp lay

Power cord

Display cable (optional)

VAIO Notebook User Guide

See the manual that came wi th your computer display fo r more information on

✍

installation and us e.

To connect a multimedia computer display

You can connect the notebook to a multimedia computer display that includes built-in speakers and a microphone.

Use the symbol to locate the Monitor connector. Plug the display cable

into this connector. Use the symbol to locate the Headphon e connector. Plug the speaker cable

into this connector. Use the symbol to locate the Microphone connector. Plug the microphone

cable into this connector.

See the manual that came with your multimedia computer display for more

✍

information on installation and use.

To connect a projector

You can use a projector, such as the Sony LCD Projector, as an external display.

Connecting projector

Projector

to Monitor

Audio cable (optional)RGB signal cable (optional)

See the manual that came with your projector for more information on installation and use.

✍

Power cord

Connecting an External Display

To select a display

When you connect an external display to the monitor connector, you can toggle the output between the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), the external monitor, or both devices.

Use the the online manual

To Press Result

Switch to an external display

keys to select a display. See also “Selecting the Display Mode” in

Fn+F7

“Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook”

Fn+F7 Toggles between the LCD, the external display

connected to the Monitor connector, or both the LCD and external display.

Only LCD

for more information.

LCD and external display

Only external display

VAIO Notebook User Guide

AV Devices

You can enjoy playing audio/video by connecting AV devices to your computer. See also the manuals supplied with your AV devices.

To Connect a TV

Connect the computer to a TV using audio/video cables. Switch the input

❑

channel of the TV to external input. You also need to set up the TV configuration system.

To AC

To audio input

Audio cable (not supplied)

Video c able (supplied)

See the manual that came with your peripheral device for more information on

✍

installation and us e. If you insert a DVD in your DVD drive to watch a video on your TV, the Fn+F8 key

✍

combination might not activate the fun c tion to toggle between your LCD and TV. Take the following steps:

1. Eject your DVD from your computer.

2. Once the DVD is ejected, toggle between your LCD and your TV with the combination Fn+F8.

Your image displays now on both LCD and TV. Re-insert your DVD to launch you DVD software.

(PCG-F690/PCG-F690K only)The desktop image on your computercannot be displayed

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on your TV displa y. TV’s are capable of displaying only up to 1024 x768. The hidden area on your TV display can be seen by moving the cursor on your computer.

(PCG-F690/PCG-F690K only) If you want to display full image of your desktop, change the resoltuion of your computer to 1024x768.

Power cord

To video input

Connecting the Por t Replicator

637

Connecting the Port Replicator

Your notebook supports the use of an optional port replicator (PCGA-PRF1A). Attaching a port replicator enables you to connect additional peripherals to your computer.

Port replicator

✍

Network (Ethernet 10 Base T)

Monitor Printer

Serial

/ Mouse/Keyboard

The port replicator can be powered only with an AC power adapter. Do not remove the

USB

DC In

AC adapter from the port replicator or the AC outlet while using the port replicator; this may cause data damage or hardware malfunct ions.

When you attach your computer to the port replicator for the first time, the installation of the network driver starts au tomatically.

To attach your computer to the port replicator

T o sup ply power to your computer while it is connected to the port rep licator , you can connect the AC adapter directly to the port replicator.

When attaching your compu ter to the port replicator, do not attempt to insert or

✍

remove the battery pack. Lifting and turning the compu ter with an attached port replicator could cause a temporary loss of power.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Turn off your computer and disconnect all peripheral devices.

On the bottom of the computer, slide the port replicator connector cover

open.

Port replicator connector

Port repilcator connector

Attach the bottom of the computer to the port replicator connector u ntil it

clicks.

Attaching computer to port replicator

Notebook

Port replicator

Connecting the Por t Replicator

Plug the cable attached to the AC adapter into the

connector on the port

DC IN

replicator. Plug the power cord into the AC adapter and an AC outlet.

Connecting AC adaptor to port replicator

AC adapter

Use the AC adapter that comes with yo ur computer or the optional Sony PCGA-

✍

AC19V1 adapter.

Power cord

The power indicator light turns green.

Pow e r indicator light

Release lever

Power

Port replicator connector

Turn on th e comput er.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

To remove your computer from the p ort replicator when the power is off

Turn off your computer and the connected peripherals.

Pull the levers on each side of the port replicator to disengage the computer

from the port replicator.

Disengaging computer fro m port replicator

Lever

Lift the computer away from the port replicator.

Port replicator connector cover

Close the port replicator connector cover on the bottom of your computer.

It is extremely important to close the port replicator connector cover after removing

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your computer from the port replicator. If the cover is left open, dirt may get inside and damage the computer.

Connecting External Speakers

You can enhance the sound quality of your computer by connecting external speakers.

Make sure your speakers are designed for computer use

✍

Turn down the volume of the speakers before you turn them on. Do not place diskettes on t he speakers; the speakers’ magnetic field may damage the

data on the diskettes.

To connect external speakers

Use the symbol to locate the Headphone connector . Plug the speaker cable

❑

into this connector.

Connecting speakers to Headphone connector

Speakers

Speaker cable

to Headphone

See the manual that came with your speakers for more information on installation and

✍

use.

(supplied with speakers)

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Connecting an External Microphone

You can enhance the quality of sound input by using an external microphone.

Make sure your microphone is designed for computer use. The microphone should be

✍

compliant with the plug-in power microphone.

To connect an external microphone

❑

Use the to locate the Microphone connector. Plug the microphone cable into this connector.

Connecting microphone to microphone connector

Microphone (optional)

Microphone

See the manual that came wi th your microphone for more information on installa tion

✍

and use.

Connecting a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Device

You can connect a USB device to your computer.

To connect a USB device

Use the symbol to locate the USB connector. Plug one end of the USB

❑

cable into this port and the other end into the USB device.

Connecting USB device to USB connector

USB device

to USB

USB connecting cable (optional)

You can use the optional Sony USB mouse PCGA-UMS1 series with this computer. The USB mouse software driver is preinstalled in the computer. Therefore, you only need to plug the USB mouse into the USB connector.

See the manual that came with your USB device for more information on installation

✍

and use.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Adding Memory

In the future you may want to install memory modules to expand the functionality of your computer. You can increase memory up to 256 MB (128 MB x 2), by installing optional memory modules. For PCG-F690 and PCGF690K, 128 MB of memory is pre-installed (128 MB x 1). For PCG-F680 and PCG-F680K, PCG-F650 and PCG-F650K configurations, 64 MB of memory is pre-installed (64 MB x 1). You can add an expansion memory module (64 MB or 128 MB) in the memory module bay. Expansion memory modules are available as options. For memory upgrades, use only PC-100 SDRAM SO-DIMM (gold lead contacts).

! Make sure you observe the proper safety precautions when you install memory mod-

ules in your computer. See the bulleted list below. Be careful when adding memory. Mistakes when installing or removing a memory module may cause a malfunction.

Before you start

The procedures described below assume you are familiar with the general

❑

terminology associated with personal computers and with common safety practices required for using and modifying electronic equipment.

Disconnect your system from its power source and from any

❑

telecommunications links, networks, or modems before you open the system or follow any of the procedures described below. Personal injury or equipment damage may result from failure to take these precautions.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage memory modules and other

❑

components. Perform the procedures described below only at an ESD workstation. If such a station is not available, do not work in a carpeted area, and do not handle materials that produce or hold static electricity (cellophane wrappers, for e xample). Groun d yoursel f by m aintaini ng contact with an unpainted metal portion of the chassis while pe rforming the procedure.

Do not open the memory module package until you are ready to install the

❑

module. The package protects the module from ESD.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Use the special bag for prev enti ng ESD or use aluminum fo il when you store

❑

the memory module.

PCG-F650/PCG-F650K and PCG-F680/PCG-F680K

Typical expansion memory configuration

T otal System Memory (MB) Slot 1 (MB) Slot 2 (MB)

128 64 64 192 64 128 256 128 128

PCG-F690/PCG-F690K

Typical expansion memory configuration

Total System Memory (MB) Slot 1 (MB) Slot 2 (MB)

192 128 64 256 128 128

To remove a memory module

Shut down your comput er and disconnect all peri pheral de vices, such as your

printer. Unplug the computer and remove the battery pack(s).

Adding Memory

After the computer has cooled, loosen and remove the screw that secures the

cover of the memory bay on the bottom of your computer. Use an appropriate screwdriver.

Removing the memory module cover

screw

Touch a metal object (such as the connector panel on the back of your

computer) to discharge any static electricity. Remove the memory modul e.

Removing memory module

1 Pull the tabs in the direction of the arrows.

The memo ry module i s released.

Tighten the screw on the memory bay cover.

Your computer comes with a memory module installed in the memory slot. To

✍

upgrade your memory, remove this module from the slot before inst alling your upgrade memory module.

2 Pull the memory module in

the direction of the arrow.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

To install a memory module

Follow steps 1 to 4 of “To remove a memory module.”

Remove the memory module from its packaging.

Install the memory module.

Installing memory module

1 Slide the memory module into th e slot. 2 Press the module into place until it clicks .

Tighten the screw on the cover of the memory bay.

To view the amount of memory

Restart the computer.

Click the Start button on the Windows status bar, point to VAIO option, and

click “Sony Notebook Setup.” The Sony Notebook Setup screen appears. Click the “About This Computer” tab to view the amount of syst em memory.

If the additional memory is not shown, repeat steps 1 through 4 in “To install a memory module.”

About the Software on Your Notebook

Your VAIO notebook is ready to help you work, play, learn, and communicate as soon as you turn i t on. This section gives you an overview of the activities you can perform with your software titles. For support information, see “For Answers to Your Software Questions” on page 92.

Adobe Acrobat Reader®

Adobe Systems Inc.

Acrobat Reader software allows you to view, navigate, and print electronic documents in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), an open file format that is int ended to preserve the fidelity of documents created on all major computer platforms.

Adobe PhotoDeluxe® Home Edition

Adobe Systems Inc.

Create amazing photo effects with Adobe PhotoDel uxe. Without learning complex software, you can enhance, restore, and be cr eative with your photos. Includes built-in guided activities, stock photos, clip art and templates to assist you.

Adobe Premiere® LE

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe Premiere LE offers an interface and editing tool for producing movies for video, multimedia, or the Web. View source clips and edited footage simultaneously on the monitor window. Create video clips up to three hours long with complete audio-video synchronization.

America Online® (Windows Me only)

America Online

America Online is a popular Internet online servic e . Stay in tou ch with family and friends with easy-to-use e- mail, manage your per s onal finances, get the latest news and sports scores, and chat with thousands of others who share your interests.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

ArcSoft® PhotoPrinter™ 2000 Pro

ArcSoft, Inc.

ArcSoft PhotoPri nter 2000 is an easy-t o- use, advanced printing program that lets you quickly lay out multiple images in multiple sizes on a single sheet of paper. PhotoPrinter Pro offers a wide selection of templates including landscape, portrait, free style, mixed sizes, custom templates and more. The applica tion include s enhancement too ls and special effects for improving photos while giving you the ability to add text to any image.

CompuServe® 2000 (Windows Me only)

CompuServe, Inc.

CompuServe is the most comprehensive source of organized business and educational information online today. CompuServe allows you to access the vastness of the Internet, without wasting time wading through it. Maximize your time online with CompuServe.

DVgate™

Sony Electronics

Connect a digital video came ra recorder to the i.LINK® connector and ca pture your own video clips and still images. You can edit clips from your video, add others, and combine clips into new movie segments. You can also save your images in a variety of popular file formats.

EarthLink Network TotalAccess® (Windows Me only)

EarthLink Network, Inc.

An Internet Service Provider that supplies access, in formation, and assistance to its customers, introducin g them t o the Int ernet. M ember b enefits include e-mail, newsgroups, a personal start page, a free 6 MB web site, a member newsletter, and 24-hour technica l support.

McAfee® VirusScan®

Network Associates, Inc.

Protect your comput er from viruses. VirusScan can detect viruses from floppy disks, Internet downloads, e-mail attachments, intranets, shared files, CD-ROMs, and online services.

About the Software on Your Notebook

Media Bar™

Sony Electronics

Media Bar software is your all-in-one solution for audio/video playback. Media Bar software handles all common comput er multimedia formats and controls selected Sony devices. In add ition to audio/ video library cata loging and playlist manage ment, Media Ba r software includes digital video quality control and effects features. Media Bar software seamlessly integrates a variety of new media formats with an easy-to-use software interface.

Microsoft® Internet Explorer

Microsoft Corporation

Internet Explore r delivers the web the way you w an t it. I t is safe , e asy to use, and you can personalize how you access the web. Outlook Express and other tools in Internet Explorer also help you have a great experience when you a r e on the web.

Microsoft® Word 2000

Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Word 2000 makes it easy to create shared Web, e-mail, and print documents for use around the world. It embr aces HTML as a first-class file format and extends Word’s ease-of-use to the Web and e-mail. Word 2000 also extends that ease-of-use to international users, making it simple to create multilingual documents.

MovieShaker™

Sony Electronics

Sony’s original MovieShaker software creates personal movies that have transitions, background music and text. Just import your video clips and “shake” wi th a click of the mouse. Your personal movies are easy to create and fun to share with family and friends.

Netscape Communicator®

Netscape Communications

Netscape Communicator is an all-in-one Internet tool that makes it easy to browse the web, send Internet e-mail, chat, read newsgroups, and compose great web documents.

PictureGear

Sony Electronics

This image management software displa ys images from your hard drive, a Sony digital still camera, or a Sony Mavica® camera. The images app ear in a convenient light-table format, so that you can easily view the contents of an entire folder.

™

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Prodigy Internet®

Prodigy Communications Corporation

An online service that helps you find what you need online faster and smarter. Prodigy delivers powerful online content such as sports scores, stock quotes, news, and easy access to Excite, plus quality customer service, all at a competitive price.

Quicken® Basic 2000

Intuit, Inc.

Quicken is a fast, easy way to organize your finances. Quicken works just like your checkbook, so it is easy to learn and use. Quicken manages all your finances, bank accounts, credit cards , investments, and loans. You can even pay your bills online.

Smart Capture

Sony Electronics

Smart Capture is a fun new way to send multimedia messages via e-mail. Smart Capture manages the i.LINK® connection between your computer and a Sony Digital Handycam® Camcorder that supports the i.LINK interface. It allows you to capture compressed video or still images that you can save or share via e-mail. A smart solution to computer, digital audio/vide o an d ne twork converge nce.

Smart Connect (Windows 2000 only)

Sony Electronics

Smart Connect allows you to use an i.LINK cable to connect your VAIO computer to another VAIO computer th at supports Smart Connect. You can then use one computer to copy, delete, and edit files on the other computer. You can also print from a printer attached to either computer.

Sound Forge® XP

Sonic Foundry

Sound Forge XP allows you to put powerful audio proces si ng tools and effects to work on your notebook. Sim ply cut, cop y, and paste your way to striking multim edia fi les for use in everything from Web pages to desktop presentations.

About Your Software

MovieShaker™

This application can be used to create fun and innovative movies without any knowledge of film editing. In a few simple steps, motion pictures can be combined with special effects, still images (pictures), and music files and then saved in a format most computers can play.

Main Window

Working Panel

Clip tray

Product tray

Editing trays

Importing Images and Sound Clips

Click .

Find the file you want to add.

Select the file.

Click Open. The file is added to the Clip tray.

Importing files over 75 se conds in length may cause Movi eShaker to stop

✍

responding.

Help

Trash

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Create a Movie using Shaker

After adding clip(s) to the Clip tray, you can create a short movie using the Shaker feature. Shaker randomly select clips from the Clip tray to create a 30second scene.

Click the Shake tab.

Select a mood by clicking a face in the Shaker tray.

Shaker Tray

Click . A thirty second scene is automatically generated and

saved to the Product tray. To preview, switch the Work Panel to Product tray mode and press play.

Scenes created with Shaker begin with black frame and after processing are placed in

✍

the first available slot on the Product tray. Limit the number of scenes placed on the Product tray to 10 or less. MovieShaker may stop responding if too many scenes are placed on the Produ ct tray.

About Your Software

Editing Clips and Scenes

You can edit your movie by adding effects and text, adjusting the color and contrast, and modifying the length of clip s.

Working Panel

Sound Color

Monitor

Trim Palette

Effect Knobs

Adding effects to a scene or a clip:

Double-click the clip or scene to move it to the Working Panel.

Speed

Effect Palette

Select the Effects tab from the Editing tray.

Drag and drop the Effect you want to ad d from the Ef fects tray to the Effects

palette on the Working Panel.

To preview an Effect, click on the clip in the Working panel monitor. Your clip displays

✍

with the new effect on the Effect tray monitor.

See help for instructions on adjusting effect duration and replaying clips/

scenes.

Saving a Movie

Verify that the clip(s) you want to save is on the Product tray. See Help for

more details on saving movies. Click Export.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Select the format in which you want the document to be saved.

Click Next.

Locate the folder to which you want the file saved.

Name the file.

Click Save.

! Exporting movies may take a long time to complete—Save movie as DV (Digital

Video) takes the long e st an d Qui ck -Save is the fastest. MovieShaker can play video files up to 65 MB in length.

For DV playback and smooth video playback, we recommend the following resolution/

✍

refresh rates: 1024 x 768/75 Hz or lower.

PictureGear™

PictureGear is a digital image management application that allows you to see all the images stored in any directory on your computer. Thumbnail views provide quick reminders of your pictures. Brighten, contrast, enhance, resize, crop, and color-correct your pictures. Create panoramic views, animations, screen savers, wallpaper, still pictures from MPEG, and even html photo albums.

Managing Your Pictures

Use the collection feature to manage your pictures.

Click the Folder tab and browse to locate your pictures.

Select the pictures you want to have in a collection.

From Collection menu, select Create New Collection.

Enter a name for the collection and then click okay.

Creating a Photo Album

Select the pictures you want to use to make an album.

From the Utilities menu, select Album Maker.

Choose the type of Album you want and click Okay.

PictureGear™

Now add more pictures, frames, text, and effects.

When you are finished, select Create Album in File menu or click the Create

Album icon on the toolbar. Designate the folder you where want to save the Album.

Enter the Target Album name, select Thumbnails and click Okay.

The new album can be viewed using most internet browsers.

Using Panorama Maker

Panorama Maker stitches a group of still images into a 360 degree panoramic picture. The source images should be the same size and overlap 20%.

How to stitch a panoramic picture:

Gather the source images into the same folder or collection.

Select the images you want to use.

We recommend 12 landscaped or 16 portrait pict ures.

✍

From the Utilities menu select Panorama Maker.

Select the correct lens and click Okay. (If 35mm lens is selected the prompt,

does not appear; to select a different lens, click the lens icon.) Click the panoramic icon, near the bottom of the window.

Click Full Stitch.

Making Still Images and Panoramic from MPEG

Select the MPEG file.

From the Movie/Sound menu, select Scene break down.

Then select Movie Stitch, to create a panoramic picture.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

About Your Recove ry CDs

Application Recovery CD(s)

Sony Electronics

This program allows you to reinstall individual applications and device drivers. Use it to restore corrupted or accident ally erased files.

System Recovery CD(s)

Sony Electronics

This program allows you to restore the software titles that shipped with your computer if they become corrupted or are erased accidentally. It can be used only to restore the hard disk of this Sony compu ter.

For Answers to Your Software Questions

Acroba

Reader, Adobe PhotoDelux

t®

Business Edition, Adobe

e®

Premiere® LE (Adobe Systems Incorporated)

Web site http://www.adobe.com/ phone 206-628-2746 (fee-based support) fax 206-628-5737 e-mail techdocs @adobe.com hours M-F, 6 AM-5 PM PT

America Online® (America Online)

Web site http://www.aol.com phone 800-827-3338 hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

CompuServe® 2000 (CompuServe, Inc.)

Web site http://www.compuserve.com phone 800-848-8990

For Answers to Your Software Questions

EarthLink Network TotalAccess® (EarthLink Network, Inc.)

Web site http://help.earthlink.n et/techsupport/ phone 800-395-8410 e-mail support@earthlink.net hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

McAfee® VirusScan® (Network Associates, Inc.)

Web site http://support.mcafee.co m phone 408-988-3832 e-mail cybr@nai.com hours M-F 9AM-5PM Central Time

Netscape Communicator® (Netscape Communications Corporation)

Web site http://www.netscape.com/ phone 888-4SONYPC (888-476-6972)

hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

* Support from 1-888-4SONYPC is free of charg e for 90 days after the or iginal date of purchase.

PhotoPrinter™ 2000 Pro (ArcSoft, Inc.)

Web site(s) http://www.arcsoft.com

http://www.photoisland.com phone 510-440-9901 fax 510-440-1270 e-mail techsupport@arcsoft.com hours M-F, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM PT

Prodigy Internet® (Prodigy Communications Corporation)

Web site http://www.prodigy.com phone 800-213-0992 hours 7 AM - 3 AM ET

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Quicken® 2000 (Intuit Inc.)

Web site http://www.intuit.com/support phone 900-555-4688 hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Windows Me Operating System, Internet Explorer (Microsoft Corporation)

Web site http://www.microsoft.com/support/ phone 888-4SONYPC (888-476-6972) hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

* Support from 1-888-4SONYPC is free of charg e fo r 90 da ys after the orig inal date of purchase.

Windows 2000 Operating System, Internet Explorer (Microsoft Corporation)

Web site http://www.microsoft.com/support/ phone 888-4SONYPC (888-476-6972) hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

* Support from 1-888-4SONYPC is free of charg e fo r 90 da ys after the orig inal date of purchase.

WinFax™ Basic Edition (Symantec Corporation)

Web site http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/ phone 800-798-0850 fax 800-554-4403 in North America

541-984-2490 outside North America

Sony Service Center

For the Sony Service Center nearest you, call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-

6972) or find Sony Customer Service on the Web at http://www.sony.com/ pcsupport.

Using the System and Application Recovery CDs

The following sections describe ho w to use the System Recover y and Application Recovery utilities.

Using the System Recovery CD(s)

You can reinstall software titles that shipped with your computer if they are corrupted or erased. You may not need to recover the entire co ntents of your h ard drive. I f y ou e xp erience a pro blem with yo ur co mpu ter, reinstalling an individual device driver or software title may correct the problem. Use the Application Recovery CD(s) to reinstall indi vidu al application s or device driv er s. See “Using the Application Recovery CD(s)” on page 97.

The System Recovery CD contains a backup copy of all the software originally installed on your hard disk drive.

of the notebook you purchased.

The System Recovery utility gives you two options:

❑ Full Restore without Format —

originally came with your computer without formatting th e hard d isk.

If you recover your operating system using the System Recover y CD, Microsoft

✍

Word 2000 will not be recovered. Use the supplied Word 2000 CD to recover this application

It can be used only to recover the hard disk

restores all the software titles that

❑ Full Restore with Format —

formats the hard disk drive and then restores

all the original software.

! If you choose the Full Restore with Format option, your hard disk will be

formatted, which removes a ll t he in form a tio n o n the hard d isk d rive . You will lose any software you have installed and any ot her files you have cr eated since you started to use your computer. This means you will have to reinstall any applications t hat were not included with the comp uter when you purchased it. If you choose the Full Restore without Format option, you may need to reinstall applications t hat were not included with the comp uter when you purchased it. If you have any q uest ions on usin g the Sy ste m Reco very CD , conta ct Sony Cu stom er Support.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

To use the System Recovery CD(s)

Insert the Sony System Recovery CD in the DVD-ROM drive.

Shut down your computer as described in “Shutting Down Your Computer”

on page 48. Wait four seconds and turn on your computer.

Click OK to signify you have read and accept the Microsoft End-User

License Agreement. When the System Recovery m enu appears, follow the on-screen in structions

to complete the recovery process.

Your system may include one or two System Recove ry CDs. If you have two System

✍

Recovery CDs, insert the first CD to run the System Recovery program. You are prompted to insert the second C D o nce t he information from the first CD has been installed.

The recovery process takes from 30 to 60 minutes to complete. After recovering your syst em using the SRCD, you may be prompted to insert your

ARCD after restarting Windows. I nsert the ARCD to automatically complete recovery of your system.

If your computer does not start from the Recovery CD

Press the power button and hold it for more than four seconds to turn off the

computer. Turn on the computer. When the Sony logo is displayed, press the F2 key.

The BIOS setup menu screen appears. Press the arrow keys to select the Exit menu.

Press the arrow keys to select “Get Default Values” and then press the Enter

key. The message “Load default configuration now?” appears. Check that “Yes” is selected, then press the Enter key.

Press the arrow keys to select “Exit” (Save Changes) and then press the Enter

key. The message “Save configuration changes and exit now?” appears. Check that “Yes” is selected, then press the Enter key . The computer restarts

from the Recovery CD.

Using the System and Application Recovery CDs

Using the Application Recovery CD(s)

The Application Recovery CD(s) allows you to reinstall individual applications and device drivers if they are corrupted or accidentally erased. Reinstalling an individual device driver or software title may correct a problem you are experiencing with your computer, and you may not need to recover the entire contents of your hard drive. If you do need to reinstall all the software titles that shipped with your computer, use the System Recovery CD(s). See “Using the System Recovery CD(s)” on page 95.

You can also use the Application Recovery CD to install Windows 2000 drivers on your computer.

You must be in Windows to run the Application Recovery CD. If you have an y

✍

questions on using the Applicati on Recover y CD, contact Sony C ustomer Support.

To use the Application Recovery CD(s)

Turn on your computer. If your computer is already on, close all

applications. When the Windows desktop appears, insert the Sony Application Recovery

CD in the DVD-ROM drive. The Application Recovery utility loads automatically.

When the Application Recovery menu appears, select the icon for the

application you want to restore and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the recovery process.

Your system may include one or two Application Recover y CDs. If you have two

✍

Application Recovery CDs, insert the first CD to run the Application Recovery program. You may be prompted to insert the second CD, depending on the application you wish to restore.

VAIO Notebook User Guide

Troubleshooting

This section describes how to solve common problems you may encounter when using your notebook. Many problems have simple solutions, so try these suggestions before you contact Sony PC Support (http://www.sony.com/ pcsupport).

Troubleshooting your notebook

(Windows Me only) When starting your notebook for the first time, the VAIO InitManager dialog box will appear. Please select “OK” to begin initial setup. If you do not execute the initial setup, you cannot use part of VAIO original hardware functions such as Jog Dial, Power Management tool, scroll function of touchpad, and keyboa rd shortcut key function combined with the Fn key.

My notebook does not start

Check that the notebook is plugged into a power source and that it is turned

❑

on. Check that the power indicator on the front panel of the notebook indicates that the power is on.

Check that the battery packs are inserted properly and that they are charged.

❑

Make sure there is no diskette in the floppy disk drive.

❑

Confirm that the power cord and all cables are connected firmly, as described

❑

in “Connecting a Power Source” on page 40. If you plugged the noteb ook into a power s tri p or UPS , make sure the power

❑

strip or UPS is turned on and working. If you are using an external display, check that it is plugged into a power

❑

source and turned on. Check that the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted correctly. See the manual that came with your display for details.

Moisture condensation may have occurred. Do not use the notebook for at

❑

least one hour and then turn on the notebook. Take the battery pack off the notebook, unplug the power cord and plug it

❑

again, then turn on the power.

Sony PCG-F650, PCG-F650K, PCG-F680, PCG-F680K, PCG-F690 User Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual