Troubleshooting Program s......................................192
Troubleshooting the Docking Station...... .... ... ....... .1 94
Computer Support Information ...............................1 96
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Welcome
Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony VAIO® computer, and
welcome to the online VAIO® Computer User Guide.
This user guide pr ovide s detaile d informati on on all aspe cts of usin g your
new V AIO computer, from keyboard functions to preinstalled soft ware
programs.
In the left navigation window, click the topics you want to learn more
about, and that information will be displayed in this main window.
✍ Vi ew the Electronic Flyer, which provides updates and supplemental information
about your com puter.
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VAI O ® Computer User Guide
8
Powering Your Computer
Your VAIO® computer comes with a battery and an AC adapter. This
chapter explains how to install and use these supplied accessories to
power your computer. It also describes ways y ou can eff iciently utilize the
battery as a power sour ce.
❑Using AC Power
❑Using the Battery
❑Conserving Battery Power
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
Using AC Power
The supplied ba ttery is not c harg ed whe n you rec eive yo ur compu ter. To use your
computer immediately, use the supplied AC adapter as the power source . While
the computer uses AC power it automatica lly charges the battery if it is inserted.
See “Using the Battery” for more information on installing and using your
battery.
❑Connecting the AC adapter
❑Turning on the computer
Connecting the AC adapter
To connect the AC adapter
1Plug the cable attached to the AC adapter into the DC IN port on your
com pu t e r or do cking stati on.
Connecting the AC Adapter to the Computer
DC IN port
ACadapter(supplied)
Powercord(supplied)
2Plug one end of the power cord into the AC adapter, and plug the other end
into an AC outle t.
.
✍ Use only the AC ad apter supplied with your com puter.
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Using AC Power
Turning on the computer
To turn on the computer
1Slide the OPEN switch to the right, and lift the cover while holding the
bottom of the compute r firmly.
Opening the Computer
OPEN switch
2Press the power button until the power indicator turns on.
Turning on the Computer
Powerindicator
Power button
✍ If you hold th e po w e r bu tt on down, th e co m p u te r tu rn s off.
3If necessary, adjust the brightness controls for the compute r screen (LCD) as
follows:
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
❑To increase light intensity, press Fn+F5 and then or .
❑To decrease light intensity, press Fn+F5 and then or .
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Using the Battery
Using the Battery
A battery is an auxiliary power source you can use when your com puter is not
plugged into an AC outlet. Your computer may come equipped with one or two
battery bays, de pending on the model you purchased. If your computer comes
with two battery ba ys, you can purchase a second rech argeable batte ry to extend
your computing ti me . Regardless how many batteries you use, you can always
extend the life of the battery by conserv ing power. See “Conserving Battery
Power” for more information.
❑Inserting a battery
❑Remo v ing a ba t tery
❑Displaying ba ttery information
❑Chargi ng a battery
❑Notes on batteries
❑Frequently asked questions
✍ The battery that comes with your computer is not fully charged at the time of
purchase.
Inserting a battery
To insert a battery
1Turn the com p ut er o ve r, and sli d e th e LOCK/UNLOCK switch on the
bottom of the computer to the UNLOCK position.
2Align the grooves and ta bs on the battery with those on the back of the
computer.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
Inserting a Battery
Battery
Grooves
3Slide the battery into the computer until it clicks into place.
4Slide th e LOCK/UNLOCK switc h in t o the LOCK position.
Some software programs and per ipheral devices prevent the system from
entering Hibernate mode. If you are using a program that prevents the system
from entering Hiberna te mode, save your data frequentl y. See “Using power
saving modes” for in format ion on how you ca n manuall y acti vate a po wer saving
mode.
Removin g a b attery
If you are not using the computer for an extended period of time, remove the
battery from the computer to avoid damaging the battery. You can re move the
battery when the computer is on or off.
If the computer is on, connect the AC adapter and exit a power saving
mode before you remove the battery.
To remove a battery
1Turn the computer over, and slide the LOCK/UNLOCK switch on the
bottom of the computer to the UNLOCK position.
2Slide the battery away from the computer.
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Using the Battery
Removing a Battery
Battery
Battery LOCK/UNLOCKswitch
Battery LOCKswitch
Display ing b attery infor mation
You can display the remaining batter y cha rge on the Battery Inform ation toolbar
and/or the Battery Inform ation window.
To displa y the Battery Informat ion toolbar
1Right-clic k the center of the Windows® taskbar.
2Select Toolbars from the shortcut menu, and click Ba ttery I nformation.
The Battery Information toolbar appears on the taskba r.
✍ If the Battery I nfo rmat ion too lbar is hidden beh in d the t as kbar i con s, clic k an d drag
the edge of the Battery Information toolbar to the left un til it is in clear view.
The to tal charge remai n ing in the battery is listed in percent and real- time val u es.
The following tool bar indicates there is 72 percent or approximate ly 1 hour and
11 minutes of battery charge left.
Battery Information Too lbar
❑Per centage in dicator — Displays the percentage of the remaining charge.
❑Time in dicator — Displays estimated time (hours : minutes) remaining
before the battery fully discharges, also known as the time-to-empty.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
To close the Battery Information toolbar
1Right- click th e Battery Information toolbar.
2Select Toolbars from the shortcut menu, and click to cancel Battery
Information. The Battery Information toolbar disappears from the toolbar.
To display th e Battery Informat ion win dow
The battery icons that appear on the Battery Information toolbar and the
Battery Information window indicate the current status of the installed battery.
Battery ic onBattery status
Charging
Fully ch arged
Discharging
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No battery
Using the Battery
1Doubl e- click th e Battery icon on the Windows taskbar. The Battery
Information window appears.
Battery Information Window
❑Battery tab — Displays the total charge remaining in the battery . You can
click Advanced for specific information on the battery.
❑Alarms tab — Displays the alarm settings, which notify you when the
battery is fully charged or too low. You can change your computer’ s alarm
settings on this window.
✍ Click Help in the lower right corner of the window for more information.
Display ing b attery infor mation
You can display information for each of the batteries installed in your computer.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
To display battery information
1Click Start on the Wind ows® taskbar, and select Settings, Control Pa ne l,
and then click Powe r Opt ion s . The Powe r Options Properties window
appears.
2Select the Power Meter tab. The total remaining battery charge is listed as a
percentage. If your comp uter comes with more than one battery, you can
view informati on on both batteries or just the primary batter y.
✍ You may also use the battery icon on the Windows® taskba r to quickly view bat tery
information. See “To display the power icon on the task bar” for instructions on how
to set up this shortcut.
To display th e power icon on the taskbar
1Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and select Setting, Control Panel,
and then click Powe r Opt ion s. The Power Options Properties window
appears.
2Select the Advanced tab, and then select Always show icon on the taskbar
in the Options box. The power icon appears on the taskbar. See the power
icon descriptions below for more information.
You can rollover the power icon to view the remain ing battery charge, and you
can double-click the power icon to open the Power Mete r window, which also
displays the re maining battery charge.
Power iconPower status
Computer is using AC powe r.
Computer is using AC powe r and cha rging the battery.
Battery is charging.
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Using the Battery
Power iconPower status
Battery is f u lly charged.
Battery is discharging.
No batt er y is in serted in th e computer.
Charging a battery
You will need to charge the battery if battery power drops below 10 percent or
you have not used the battery for a long time. The lithium-ion battery supplied
with your computer may be recharged at any time, whether you wait until the
battery is compl etely or partially discharged. Charging a partially discharged
battery does not affect battery life. If you charge the battery and find that ba ttery
power is still low, the battery may be reaching th e end of its life, and you may
need to replace it.
✍ The battery supplied with your computer is not char ged at the time of purchase.
To charge a battery
You can charge the battery when the computer is on or off. However, the battery
will charge faster when the comput er is off. Charging the battery take s several
hours. See your VAIO® Computer Specific ation s on the “Welcome” page for the
approximat e time needed to charge your battery.
✍ Charge the battery at temperature s between 50°F an d 80° F (10°C to 30°C). Lower
temperatures require more time to charge.
1Insert the battery into the battery bay.
2Connect the AC adapter to the computer. The computer automatically
charges the battery as long as the computer is using AC powe r.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
The battery indicator bl ink s while the bat tery cha r ges. The batte ry in dicat or stops
blinking when the ba ttery is fully charged.
Battery I ndicator
Battery indicator
Battery indicator
statusDescription
OnThe computer is using battery power.
Single blinkThe battery is running out of power.
Double blinkThe battery is cha rging.
OffThe computer is using AC power.
Notes on batteries
❑Never leave the bat tery in temperatures above 140°F (60°C), such as und er
direct sunlight or in a car parked in the sun.
❑While the batter y is in use or being dischar g ed, the battery heats up. This is
normal and is not cause for concern.
❑Keep the battery away from all sources of heat.
❑Keep the battery dry.
❑Do not open or disassemb le the battery.
❑Do not expose the batte ry to any mechanical sho ck.
❑Battery life is shorter in a cold environm ent because of decreased battery
efficiency at low temperatures.
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Using the Battery
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the battery is charged?
To determine the remaining battery char ge, see “Displaying battery information. ”
When is the computer using AC power?
When th e computer is d ir e ct ly conne ct ed to th e A C adapte r, it use s A C p ower,
even if a battery is installed.
When should I recharge the battery?
❑When the battery leve l falls below 10 percent.
❑When both the battery and power indicators bli nk.
❑When you have not used the batte ry for a long time.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
Conserving Battery Power
You may use the power saving modes and PowerPanel™ utility or power
schemes to conserve battery power. Conserving battery power may signific antly
extend your computing time, depending on how you us e your computer.
❑Using power saving modes
❑Using PowerPanel utility
❑Frequently asked questions
Using power saving modes
In addition to the norma l operating mode, which allows you to turn off spec ific
devices, your computer has two distinct power saving modes : S tandby and
Hibernate . You can use the Stand by and Hibernate power saving modes to
override a profile setting or initiate an immediate action.
❑Standby — Saves the state of the system and peripheral devices in memory
(RAM). Power consumption is reduced to a minimum. The system remains
on, and t h e computer screen (LCD ) is off .
❑Hibernate — Saves the state of the system and peripheral devices on the
hard disk. Power con su mption is reduced to the lowest possible setting
without being completely off. Hibernate mode consumes the lowe st level of
power . Your computer enters Hibernate mode when the remaining battery
charge drops below 5 percent, regardless of the setting you select.
✍ Some software programs and peripheral devices prevent the system from entering
Hiberna te m ode. If you are using a program that prevents the system from entering
Hibernate mode, save your data frequently to avoi d data loss.
To activate Standby mode
1Press the key combination Fn+Esc. The power indicator blinks in this mode.
2Press any key to return to Normal mod e.
To activa te H ibernate mode
1Press the key combi nation Fn+F12 or the power button and release it
immediately. Do not move the computer until the power indicator turns off.
2Press the power button to return to normal mode.
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Conserving Battery Power
✍ If the computer does not activate Hibernate mode, see “Frequ ently asked questions”
for more inf or m a tio n .
Using PowerPanel utility
The PowerPanel utility enables you to select and c ust om ize a predefined power
management profil e t o conserve batte ry li fe. Th e followi ng tabl e descri bes al l the
predefined powe r manage ment profiles in PowerPanel. Your computer is set to
Automatic P r ofile Selection by default. You can customize the settings for all the
following profi les, except the Disabl e Power Man agement profile.
Profile
IconDescription
Maximum Performance
Provides the best system performance but conserves minimal power.
Maximum Battery Life
Provides power saving features to give you maximum battery life and
good performance. It slows the computer and puts it into Standby
mode after a specified time.
Ultimate Battery Life
Extends the Maximum Battery Life by disabling the i.LINK® port.
Power Management Off
Disables all power mana gement settings, su ch as Standby and
Hibernate modes. You cannot change the settings of this profile.
AC Power
Indicates when AC power i s i n us e. Similar to the Power Managem ent
Off setting. Power Management automatically loads the AC profile
unless you disa ble this feature.
Games
Disables the dis play and the Hard Disk Stan dby timer.
*
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
Profile
IconDescription
Presentation
Keeps the dis p lay on at all times while it conserves po wer. This option
is ideal for slide show presentations. You can establis h se ttings for
LCD (Video) Standby, Hard Disk Standby , and Standby mode to
optimize power manage ment for your system.
Camera
Optimizes performance and power requirements for camera usage.
DVD
Optimizes performanc e and power requ irements for DVD usage.
Word Processing
Optimizes power management with longer time - outs on the hard disk
and display screen. You can also establish settings for LCD (Video)
Standby, Hard Disk Standby, and Standby mode to optimize power
management for your system .
Spreadsheet
Optimizes performance and power requ irements for spreadsheet
programs.
Communications
Extends battery life by initiat ing a quick d isplay time-out. The Internal
modem remains powered on. You can also establis h settings for LCD
(Video) Standby, Hard Disk Standby, and Standby mode to optimize
power management for your system.
Automatic Profile Selection
Switches automatically to a profile suitable for active software
programs.
* For models with an i.LINK port.
✍ Do not choose the Automa tic Profile Selection when connected to AC power.
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Conserving Battery Power
To select a profile
1Right- c lick the Battery icon on the Windows taskbar. See “To display the
Battery Information window” for Battery icon descriptions.
2Select Profiles, and click the profile on the shortcut menu. The profile
settings are implemented instantly. See “Using PowerPanel utility” for
descriptions of available profile s.
When you use the battery to power your computer, your system automatic ally
selects the Maximum Battery Life power management profile by default. If you
select a different power management profile while us ing battery power, that
profile is selected automatically the next time you use the battery to power your
computer.
✍ See PowerPanel Help for inf ormation on customizing th e pow er manageme nt
profiles.
To customiz e your profile settings
You can customize your profile sett ings to sustain enough powe r for a part icular
computing function.
1Right- c lick the Battery icon on the Windows® taskbar. See “To display the
Battery Information window” for Battery icon descriptions.
2Select Edit/ C rea te Pro files from the shortcut menu.
3In the left panel, cl ick the profile you want to cha nge.
4Right-click the setting under System, LCD(Video), Hard Disk, or Othe r
Devices that you want to change. See the following table for a description of
each power profil e.
5Make your changes from the drop-down menu.
6Click File, and click Save.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
Power profile Description
*
CPU Control
Controls the processor speed. You can select either
Performance, Adaptive, Battery Life, or More Bat tery Life.
These selectio n s are listed in orde r from the greatest to least
amount of power consumed.
System Standby
Timer
Controls the time it takes the system to activate the Standby
mode when it is idle. The longer you allow the computer to sit
idle while it is not in a powe r sa ving mode the more power the
computer will consume.
Hiber n at e Time rContro ls the time it take s th e sy s te m to ac ti v ate the Hibernat e
mode when it is idle. The longer you allow the computer to sit
idle while it is not in a powe r sa ving mode the more power the
computer consumes. Hibernate mode conserves more power
than Standby mode .
Thermal Cont rol
Strategy
*
Controls the speed of the proc essor fan. You can set the fan
speed to Quiet, which conserves the most power, or
Performance.
Lid Close
Action
Controls the state of your system when you close the computer’s
lid. You can select either Standby or Hibernate mode, or you
can select LCD Off. Hi ber n at e or LC D Off co n se rv e s th e mo st
power.
Hibernate on
Low Battery
Controls the state of your system whe n the battery power is low.
You can turn this setting On or Off. Selecting On conserves the
most power when the battery is low.
LCD BrightnessControls the brightness of the computer screen (LCD). You can
select a brightne ss level of one to nine, with one being the
darkest sett ing. T he dar ker y ou set th e comp uter s creen the m ore
power you conserve.
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Power profil eD escrip ti o n
Conserving Battery Power
LCD Standby
Timer
Controls the time it takes the system to switch the LCD to
Standby mode when the system is idle. This setting only tu rns
off power to the LCD. The syste m itself still functions on full
power.
HDD Standby
Timer
Controls the time it takes the system to switch the hard disk
drive to S tandby mode when the s ystem i s idl e. This sett ing only
turns off power to the hard disk drive.
i.LINK PortControls the power supply to the i.LINK port. You can disable
power to the i.LINK port to conserve power.
Memory Stick
Port Power-
Controls the powe r supply to the Memory Stick slot. You can
disable power to the Memory Stick slot to conse r ve power.
saving
* Slows the processor s peed.
Frequently asked questions
Can my computer enter Hibernate mode while using battery power?
Your computer can enter Hibernate mode while using battery power, but some
software programs and perip hera l devices prevent the system from entering
Hibernate mode at all. If you are using a program that prevents the system from
entering Hibernate mode, save your data frequently. See “Using power saving
modes” for information on how you can manual ly ac tivate Hibernate mode.
When should I replace the battery?
If, after fully ch arging the batt ery, the battery power is still low, the battery may
be reaching the end of it s li fe and should be replaced.
Why is th e battery wa r m?
While the battery is in use or being dischar ged, the battery he ats up. This is
normal and is not cause for concern.
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
28
Internet and Network
Connections
❑Internet Connections
❑Network Connections
❑Connecting Another VAIO Computer
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VAI O C om puter Quic k Sta rt
Internet Connections
This section des cribes the basic steps for setting up your dial-up or Ethernet
connection to the Internet. The Internet Connection Wi zard guides you through
the process of connecting to the Internet and choosing an Internet service
provider (ISP) or se tting up an existing ac count. When you connect to the
Internet, you can reg is ter your VAIO® computer, use onli ne services, and gain
access to Sony Computing Support.
❑Setting up a dial-u p Internet connectio n
❑Setting up an Ethernet Internet connec tion
❑Customizing your Internet connection
❑Frequently asked questions
Setting up a dial-up Internet connection
Before you can connect to the Internet, you need to conne ct your computer to a
telephone li ne via a telephone cable (not supplied). Once you have se t up your
telephone cable, you’re ready to connect to the Internet.
To co n n e ct a te lephon e ca b le
1Locate the Modem jack on your computer. For location information, see
Locating Ports and Controls in the Setting Up chapter of your printed
VAIO® Com puter Quic k Star t .
2Plug one end of t he t eleph one ca ble int o t he Mo dem jack . Make sur e i t clic ks
into pl ace.
3Plug the other end into the wall jack.
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