PCV- 2211
Sony VAIO Desktop
User Guide
PCV-RS series / PCV-2211
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Notice
© 2003 Sony Corporation. All rights reserved.
This manual and the software described herein, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machinereadable form without prior written approval.
Sony Corporation provides no warranty with regard to this manual, the software, or other information contained herein and hereby
expressly disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose with regard to this manual, the
software or such other information. In no event shall Sony Corporation 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 thereof.
Macrovision: This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of certain U.S. patents and
other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection
technology must be authorised by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless
otherwise authorised by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.
Sony Corporation reserves the right to make any modification to this manual or the information contained herein at any time without
notice. The software described herein is governed by the terms of a separate user licence agreement.
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Trademarks
Sony, DVgate, i.LINK and the i.LINK logo, MovieShaker, PictureGear Studio, Network Smart Capture, SonicStage, Sony Style Imaging, UI
Design Selector, VAIO Edit Components, VAIO System Information, VAIO and the VAIO logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.
i.LINK is a trademark of Sony used only to designate that a product contains an IEEE1394 connection.
Microsoft, Windows and the Windows logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of U.S. Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other
countries.
Adobe, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Adobe Photoshop
Click to DVD is a trademark of Sony Electronics.
EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
PowerDVD for VAIO is a trademark of Cyberlink Corporation.
QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are trademarks used under licence. QuickTime is registered in the U.S. and other countries.
RealOne Player is a trademark or registered trademark of RealNetworks, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
RecordNow is a trademark or registered trademark of VERITAS.
StarOffice is a trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and in other countries.
Symantec Norton Antivirus is a trademark of Symantec.
All other names of systems, products and services are trademarks of their respective owners. In the manual, the ™ or
specified.
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Elements are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
®
marks are not
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Sony VAIO Desktop User Guide
ENERGY STAR
As an ENERGY STAR® Partner, Sony has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR® guidelines for energy efficiency. The
International Energy Star
computers and their office equipment. The program backs the development and dissemination of products with functions that
effectively reduce energy consumption. It is an open system in which business proprietors can participate voluntarily. The targeted
products are office equipment such as computers, displays, printers, facsimiles and copiers. Their standards and logos are uniform
among participating nations.
E
NERGY STAR is a U.S. registered mark.
®
®
Office Equipment Program is an international program that promotes energy saving through the use of
Environmental information
Halogenated flame retardant not used in cabinets.
Cushions formed by corrugated board used in packaging.
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Safety information
Warnings
General
❑ Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type. Dispose of used batteries according to the
instructions.
❑ Opening the unit, for whatever reason, could lead to damages that are not covered by the guarantee.
❑ To avoid electrical shock, do not open the cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personnel only.
❑ To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose your VAIO desktop to rain or moisture.
❑ If reporting a gas leak, do not use the modem or a telephone in the vicinity of the leak.
❑ Avoid using the modem during a severe electrical storm.
❑ The power socket outlet you are using must be installed near the equipment and must be easily
accessible.
❑ Do not move your computer while the system is in Standby mode.
❑ The magnetic properties of some objects can have serious consequences for your hard disk drive. They
can erase the data on the hard disk drive and cause the computer to malfunction. Do not place your
computer near or on any objects, which emit magnetic fields, mainly:
❑ TV sets
❑ Speakers
❑ Magnets
❑ Magnetic bracelets.
Audio/video
❑ Audio and picture distortion may occur if this equipment is positioned in close proximity to any
equipment emitting electromagnetic radiation.
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Connectivity
❑ Never install modem or telephone wiring during a severe lightning storm.
❑ Never install telephone jacks in wet locations unless the jack is specifically designed for wet locations.
❑ Be cautious when installing or modifying telephone lines.
❑ To disconnect your VAIO desktop completely from the mains voltage, unplug the power cable.
❑ Make sure that the socket outlet is easily accessible.
Optical disc drive
The use of optical instruments can cause eye hazard. As the laser beam used in this product is harmful to the
eyes, do not attempt any disassembling process. For servicing, refer to qualified personnel only.
There is visible and invisible radiation when the optical disc drive is open: avoid direct exposure to the laser beam. The disc drives are
classified as CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCTS and comply with the Laser Product Safety Standard EN 60825-1. Repair and maintenance only
by authorised Sony technicians. Improper repairs and use can create safety hazards.
CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT
TO EN 60825-1
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Regulatory information
Sony hereby declares that this product is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of European
Directive 1999/5/EC (radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment Directive).
Declaration of Conformity
The European Union is targeting the free movement of goods for the internal market and to prevent technical barriers to trade. This
effort has resulted in several EU Directives asking that manufacturers make their products comply with essential standards.
Manufacturers are required to affix the "CE" mark on the products they sell and to draw up a "Declaration of Conformity" (DoC).
Primarily, the Declarations of Conformity are intended for the market surveillance authorities as proof that products satisfy the required
standards. Additionally, Sony provides these EU DoC's on the website http://www.compliance.sony.de
You can search for all Declarations of Conformity available for a specific product by typing in the model name in the search box. A list
of matching documents will be displayed and can be downloaded. Please note that the availability of declarations depends on the scope
of the EU Directives and the individual product specifications.
This product complies with EN 55022 Class B and EN 55024 for use in the following areas: residential, commercial, and light industrial.
This product has been tested and found compliant with the limits set out in the EMC Directive for using connection cables not longer
than 3 metres (9.8 feet).
Before activating the built-in modem, please read the Modem Regulations leaflet.
as a service to our customers.
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Disposing of the internal memory backup battery
Your Sony VAIO desktop is equipped with an internal back-up memory battery that should not have to be
replaced during the lifetime of the product. If you want to replace the battery, please contact VAIO-Link:
http://www.vaio-link.com
❑ Keep away from children.
❑ Dispose of the battery properly at its end-of-life.
❑ In some areas the disposal of non-hazardous batteries in household or business waste may be prohibited.
Please use the public waste collection system.
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Welcome
Congratulations on purchasing a Sony VAIO desktop. Sony has combined leading-edge technology in audio,
video, computing and communications to provide you with state-of-the-art personal computing.
Here are the main features you will be able to enjoy:
❑ Exceptional performance - Your PC includes a fast processor, an internal modem, and a fast Ethernet
interface.
❑ Dual drives – Enjoy the freedom of two disc drives.
❑ Sony audio and video quality – The advanced graphics card and high-quality external stereo speakers
enable you to take advantage of today’s advanced multimedia applications, games, and entertainment
software.
❑ Multimedia features – Enjoy audio and video CDs and DVDs.
❑ Interconnectivity – Your computer has USB 2.0, and i.LINK™ functionalities.
❑ Windows
system from Microsoft.
❑ Excellent customer support - If you are experiencing any problems with your computer, please check
the VAIO-Link website for a possible solution:
http://www.vaio-link.com
Before contacting VAIO-Link, please try to solve the problem by reading this guide, especially the section
Troubleshooting (page 51) or the manuals and help files for the peripherals or software.
®
XP Home Edition Service Pack 1 - Your system includes the latest consumer operating
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Documentation pack
Your documentation pack contains printed user guides, as well as user guides which you can find on your
hard drive and / or the application CD (final disc in the set of the Recovery Disc(s)).
Printed documentation
The printed part of your documentation pack includes the following:
❑ A Getting Started brochure, where you will find a brief description of the items in your box and how
to set up your computer;
❑ A Specifications sheet, containing a table of specifications, a list of software, illustrations showing the
connectors, and a guide to setting up your computer.
❑ A Troubleshooting Guide, where you will find all the basic information to start using your VAIO
desktop, as well as troubleshooting and VAIO-Link information;
❑ An Application CD Guide, which explains the purpose and use of the final system recovery disc. Use
this when (re)installing bundled software.
❑ You r Sony Guarantee conditions;
❑ A Safety Regulations Guide for your information;
❑ A Modem Regulations leaflet applying to the modem.
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Online documentation
The online documentation includes the following guides:
1 The Sony VAIO Desktop User Guide:
❑ Using your VAIO desktop shows you how to use the standard components of your system.
❑ Connecting peripheral devices explains how you can add functionality by connecting various
peripherals.
❑ Getting help explains the support options available to you, and offers basic troubleshooting tips.
❑ Precautions provides facts and advice about using your VAIO desktop.
❑ Glossary refers to terms used in this manual.
2 The Software Guide:
❑ About the Software is a short description of the features of the software delivered with your
system.
❑ Using Video software explains how to use Sony video software: DVgate, MovieShaker and
Network Smart Capture.
❑ Managing audio files with SonicStage describes how to convert your existing MP3, WMA and
WAV format audio files into ATRAC3 format.
❑ Using PictureGear Studio explains how to get the most enjoyment out of your photo and movies
taken with a digital camera.
❑ Using Click to DVD explains the procedures for creating your own DVDs (for models with a DVD-RW
drive).
❑ Customising your VAIO computer explains how to set up your system's display and so on.
❑ Installing and updating applications details how to install, run or uninstall a software
application.
❑ Managing drivers describes how to install, update or uninstall a driver.
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❑ Using the Product Recovery Discs explains how to perform a system and application recovery.
3 In the Customer Service Guide, you will find all the information you need relating to VAIO-Link,
including contact numbers for each country.
4 Consult the Online Help files of the software you are using for detailed information on features and
troubleshooting.
5 Refer to the Microsoft
®
Quick Start manual for more information on Windows®.
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Your Sony VAIO desktop and its accessories
The following hardware items are in the box:
1 Main unit 5 Power cable
2 VAIO keyboard 6 TV-Out cable
3 Stereo speakers 7 Documentation pack
4 VAIO wheel mouse 8 Product recovery disc(s)
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Ergonomic considerations
Whenever possible, try and take into account the following ergonomic considerations when using your new
computer, whether at home or in the office:
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❑ Position of the keyboard and mouse – Place the keyboard directly in front of you (1). Keep your
forearms horizontal, with your wrists in a neutral, comfortable position (2) while using the keyboard or
mouse – not at an angle. Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides. Place the mouse at the same
level as the keyboard and use your whole arm to move it.
❑ Position and viewing angle of the monitor – Set the display at a comfortable viewing distance (3).
Make sure the display screen is at eye level or slightly lower. Use the display’s tilting feature, if available,
to find the best position. You can reduce eye-strain and muscle-fatigue by adjusting the tilt of the display
to the proper position. Remember to adjust the brightness setting of the display. If you are using a CRT
monitor, make sure that the refresh rate is at an optimal level, that is, at least 75Hz.
❑ Furniture and posture – Sit in a chair with good back support (4). 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 too far backwards.
❑ Lighting – Choose a location where windows and lights do not create glare or reflection on the display.
Use indirect lighting to avoid bright spots reflecting on the display. You can also purchase accessories for
your display that help reduce glare. Proper lighting adds to your comfort and work effectiveness.
❑ Ventilation – Make sure you leave at least 25 cm of space behind and on the left of the main unit (5).
❑ And finally – Remember to have breaks during sessions with your computer. Excessive use of the
computer may strain muscles or tendons.
Using your VAIO desktop
Using your VAIO desktop
This section describes how to start using your computer and how to use your computer’s internal and
external devices.
❑ Locating connectors (page 16)
❑ Starting your computer (page 17)
❑ Shutting down your computer (page 18)
❑ Using the keyboard (page 19)
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❑ Setting up the monitor (page 24)
❑ Using the mouse (page 25)
❑ Using the disc drives (page 26)
❑ Using the floppy disk drive (page 29)
❑ Using the modem (page 30)
❑ Expansion capabilities (page 31)
❑ Using power saving modes (page 32)
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Using your VAIO desktop
Locating connectors
Please see the printed Specifications sheet to identify connectors on your model.
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Using your VAIO desktop
Starting your computer
Once you have all the components set up as described in the Getting Started guide, you can begin to use
your computer.
To start up your computer, proceed as follows:
1 Press the power button on the system unit until the blue VAIO light turns on (1).
2 Press the power button on your monitor to turn the display on (2).
3 Push the power button on the speakers, located on the side of the right speaker, to turn the sound on (3).
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✍ If you press the computer’s power button for more than six seconds, the system will switch itself off.
Using your VAIO desktop
Shutting down your computer
It is important that you shut down your computer properly so you do not lose unsaved data.
To shut down your computer, proceed as follows:
1 Click the Start button.
2 Click Turn Off Computer.
The Turn off computer screen appears.
3 Click Tur n Off.
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Wait for your computer to turn off automatically.
The power indicator turns off.
4 Turn off any peripherals connected to your computer.
✍ Respond to any prompts warning you to save documents or to consider other users.
If you are unable to shut down your computer;
- Close all software in use.
- Disconnect any USB devices.
- Press <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Delete> at the same time. If you have not changed the default setting, you will enter the Task Manager. Select Turn
Off from the Shut Down menu to turn the computer off.
Alternatively, press <Alt>+<F4> and select Tur n Off from the screen that appears.
If this does not work, you can press the power button for more than six seconds. This will shut down the computer. This operation may result in loss
of data.
If you want to shut down the computer for a short period only, you can save power by using the Standby mode. Go to Start, Turn Off Computer,
and select Stand By (see Using power saving modes (page 32) for details).
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Using your VAIO desktop
Using the keyboard
This section describes the features of the VAIO keyboard.
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Using your VAIO desktop
Keys Descriptions
Escape key (1) The <Esc> (Escape) key is used to cancel commands.
Function keys (2) The twelve function keys along the top of the keyboard are used to perform designated tasks.
Correction keys (3) The <Insert>, <Back Space> and <Delete> keys enable you to make corrections when typing.
Lock keys (4) Press <Caps Lock> once to activate the uppercase characters. Use the <Num Lock> key to
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Print Screen key (5) The <Prt Sc> key takes an electronic snapshot of the screen and moves it to the Windows
Numeric keypad area (6) This contains the keys found on a typical calculator. Use the numeric keypad area to type
Navigation keys (7) These keys enable you to move the cursor on the screen.
Application key (8)
Operator keys (9) Several keys are used in combination with at least one other key: <Ctrl>, <Alt> and <Shift>.
Windows
Volume buttons (11) Press the - button to decrease volume, and the + button to increase.
Mute button (12) Press once to mute the system sound, press again to restore the sound.
®
key (10)
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For example, in many applications, <F1> is the Help key. The task associated with each function
key may vary from one application to another.
activate the numerical keypad.
®
Clipboard. You can then paste the screenshot into a document and print it.
numbers or to perform mathematical calculations such as addition and subtraction. Note that
you must press the <Num Lock> key to activate the keypad.
The <Application> key displays a shortcut menu; pressing this key is equivalent to clicking the
right mouse button.
When held down at the same time as another key, the <Ctrl> (Control) and <Alt> (Alternate)
keys offer another way to execute commands. For example, in many applications, 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 is used to type capital letters or special symbols such as @
and $.
The key with the Windows
clicking the Start button on the taskbar.
®
logo displays the Windows® Start menu; it is equivalent to
Using your VAIO desktop
Keys Descriptions
Standby button (13) Press this button either to start up your computer, or to enter Standby mode, or to resume from
Indicator LEDs (14) A green light indicates whether the Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock functions are
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a power saving mode.
active.
Using your VAIO desktop
Combinations and functions with the Windows key
Combinations Function
+ <F1> Displays Windows® Help and Support Center.
+ <Tab> Switches the selected button on the taskbar.
+ <D> Refreshes the screen if a window is not closing as it should.
+ <E> Displays My Computer.
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+ <F> Displays the Search Results window to find a file or folder.
This is equivalent to selecting Search from the Start menu.
+ <Ctrl> + <F> Displays the Search Results - Computers window where
you can locate other computers.
+ <L> Locks your computer.
+ <M> Minimises all displayed windows.
<Shift> + + <M> Returns all minimised windows to their previous size.
+ <R> Displays the Run window. This is equivalent to selecting Run
from the Start menu.
®
+ <U> Launches the Windows
Utility Manager.
Using your VAIO desktop
Indicators
Light On Off
Num Lock Turns on when the number keys in the numeric keypad
Caps Lock Turns on when the letters appear in uppercase as you
Scroll Lock Turns on when the screen scrolls differently (not all
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are active.
type. The <Shift> key lowers the case of typed letters
when Caps Lock is on.
applications support this function).
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Turns off when the alphanumeric character keys in the
keypad area are active.
Turns off when the letters appear in lowercase as you
type (unless you hold down the <Shift> key).
Turns off when the information moves across the
display normally.
Using your VAIO desktop
Setting up the monitor
If your VAIO desktop is delivered with a monitor, it may be delivered with a digital 15" or 17'' LCD (XGA TFT)
monitor or with a common analogue CRT monitor, depending on your model and vendor.
For more information on how to use your delivered monitor, refer to the user manual that came with it.
You can also refer to the section Connecting an external display (page 37).
Connecting the monitor
To connect your monitor, proceed as follows:
Sony VAIO Desktop User Guide
1 Plug one end of the monitor cable into the connector
on the back panel of your computer.
2 Plug the other end of the monitor cable into the back
of your monitor.
The monitor is now ready for use.
✍ There are two ports: one for DVI screens and one for common VGA and CRT
screens. Make sure you use the appropriate connector.
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Using your VAIO desktop
Using the mouse
The VAIO wheel mouse allows you to control the cursor in a number of ways. You can point to, select, drag,
and scroll objects on the screen using the buttons and the wheel.
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Function Action
Point Move the entire mouse across a flat surface to
place the pointer on an item or object.
Click Press the left button (1) once.
Double-click Press the left button twice.
Right-click Press the right button (2) once. In many
applications, this action displays a contextsensitive shortcut menu.
Drag and drop Hold the left button down while sliding the
mouse. Then release the button to drop the
object.
Scroll Turn the central wheel (3) to scroll up or down a
page. Or press the wheel once to lock the scroll
action and control the movement by moving the
entire mouse (the scroll function is available
only with applications that support a scroll
feature).
You can adjust the mouse pointer speed and other functions under Mouse Properties. To display Mouse
Properties, go to the Control Panel, select Printers and Other Hardware, then select Mouse.
✍ You can set the mouse up for left-hand use. See the Troubleshooting (page 51) section for details.
Using your VAIO desktop
Using the disc drives
Your computer is equipped with two separate drives. See the Specifications sheet for details on your
model.
❑ The DVD-RW drive reads data from and writes data onto DVD and CD.
❑ The CD-RW drive reads data from and writes data onto CD.
❑ The DVD-ROM drive reads data from DVDs and CDs.
❑ The CD-ROM drive reads data from CDs.
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Sony VAIO Desktop User Guide
To insert a disc, proceed as follows:
1 Turn on the computer.
2 Press the appropriate eject button to open the drive.
The cover flap opens and the tray slides out.
3 Place a disc in the tray with the label side facing upwards. Make sure the disc is secure in the centre of
the tray.
4 Close the tray by pushing it gently.
✍ When the computer is in Standby or Hibernate mode, you cannot insert or remove a disc.
Make sure you seat the disc firmly in the tray. Otherwise, you could damage your disc drive and you may not be able to open the tray.
When you have finished using a disc, wait until the LED indicator turns off before pressing the eject button to remove the disc.
If the tray does not come out when you press the eject button, go to Windows Explorer or My Computer. Select the drive, click the right button
of your mouse and select Eject.
Using your VAIO desktop
DVD-RW and CD-RW drive: What (re)writable CD formats can I use?
Recordable and rewritable CD formats include CD-R, CD-RW (high-speed supported). CD-R (recordable)
allows one-time recording on a disc whereas CD-RWs can be rewritten as many as 1,000 times.
Writing CDs and DVDs
To achieve optimum performance when writing data on to disc (also called ’burning’), follow these
recommendations:
❑ Only use circular discs. Do not use discs with any other shape (star, heart, card, etc.), as this may damage
the disc drive.
Sony VAIO Desktop User Guide
❑ Do not strike or shake the computer while writing data to a disc.
❑ For optimum writing speed, deactivate the screensaver before writing data to a disc.
❑ Memory-resident disc utilities may cause unstable operation or data loss. Deactivate these utilities before
writing data to a disc.
❑ When using a software application to burn discs, make sure you exit and close all other applications.
❑ Never touch the surface of the disc. Fingerprints and dust on the surface of a disc may cause writing
errors.
❑ Never put stickers on discs. This will affect the use of the disc irreparably.
Playing DVDs
To achieve optimum performance when playing DVD-ROMs, you should follow these recommendations:
❑ Close all open applications before playing a DVD-ROM movie.
❑ You can play DVDs with the software PowerDVD for VAIO.
❑ Do not switch power saving modes while playing a DVD-ROM.
❑ Do not use resident disc utilities or other resident utilities to speed up the access of discs, because they
may cause the system to become unstable.
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