Sony VAIO User Manual

VAIO® User Guide

VAIO® User Guide

Notice to Users

© 2000 Sony Electronics Inc. Reproduction in
whole or in part without written permi ssion is
prohibited. All rights reserved. This manual and
the software described here in , in whole or in
part, may not be reproduced, translated, 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
INFORMATION CONTAINED 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 OTHER WISE, ARISING
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS
MANUAL, THE SOFTWARE, OR OTHER
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN OR
THE USE TH EREOF.

Sony Electronics Inc. res erves th e right to make
any modification to this ma nual or the
information contained herein at any time
without notice. The software described herein is
governed by the terms of a separate user license
agreement.

This product contains softwa re owned by Sony
and licensed by third parties. Us e of suc h
software is subject to the terms an d conditions
of license agreements enclosed with this
product. Some of the software may not be
transported or used outside the United States.
Software speci f i cations are subject to change
without notice and may not necessarily be
identical t o current retail versions.

Updates and additions to software ma y re qui re
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 institutions.

Son y, VA IO, the VA I O lo go, VAIO Sm art ,
VAIO Digital Studio, Media Park, DVgate,
Media Bar, Handycam, PictureGear and i.LINK
are trademarks of S o ny. Intel and Pentium are
trademarks of Intel Corpora tion. Microsoft,
Windows, and the Windows logo are registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

All other trademarks are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective o wne rs .

Owner’s Record

The model number and serial number are located
on the back of your Son y VAIO computer.
Record the serial number in the space provided
here. Refer to the model an d s e rial numbers
when you call your Sony Service Cen t er.

Model Number: PCV-J120
Serial Number:________________________

Safety Information and Caution

CD-RW Laser Diode Properties

Laser Output

Wave Length

❑

To prevent fire or shock hazard,
do not expose your desktop to
rain or moisture.To avoid
electrical shock, do not open the
cabinet. Refer servicing to
qualified personnel only.

0.7mW(Read)

23.5mW (Write)

775–790nm

2

❑

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

❑

Use caution when installing or
modifying telephone lines.

❑

A void using the modem during an
electrical storm.

❑

Do not use th e modem or a
telephone to report a gas leak in
the vicinity of the leak.

❑

The socket outlet shall be
installed near the equipment and
shall be easily accessible.

! To change the backup battery,

please contact your nearest Sony
Service Center.

! Caution - The use of optical

instruments with this product will
increase eye hazard. As the laser
beam used in this product is
harmful to the eyes, do not
attempt to disassemble the drive
cabinet. Refer servicing to
qualified personnel only.

Notice to Users

! For CD-RW: Danger - Invisible

laser radiation when open. Avoid
direct exposure to beam.

! Caution: For ADSL modem

models, to reduce the risk of fire,
use only No. 26 AWG or larger
telecommunication line cord.

❑

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

❑

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 téléphone du rant
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.

3

VAIO® User Guide

❑

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.

Regulatory Information

Declaration of Conf ormity

Trade Name: SONY

Model No.: PCV-J120

Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc.

Address: 1 Sony Drive

Park Ridge, NJ 07656

Telephone: [phone]

! 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 désassembler le
boîtier. Adressez-vous à un agent
de service qualifié.

! Pour les CD-RW : Danger :

Radiation laser visible et invisible
si ouvert. Évitez l'exposition
directe au faisceau.

! Attention : Pour ADSL modele

modem, afin de réduire les
risques d'incendie, n'utilisez
qu'un cordon de communication
N0. 26 AWG ou plus gros.

For questions regarding your product or for the
Sony Service Center n earest you , cal l 1- 888-4 76­6972 in the United St ates or 1-800-961-766 9 i n
Canada.

Sony Customer Support can be reac hed at
http://www.sony.com/pcsupport

This phone number is for FCC-rel ated
matters only.

This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following tw o condition s :

(1) This devi ce may not cause ha r m ful
interference, and

(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operat io n.

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harm ful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance wit h th e instructions, may cause
harmful interference to ra dio communications.
However, ther e is no guar antee t hat in terfe rence
will not occur in a partic ul ar installation. If th is
equipment does cause har mful interference to
radio or television reception , whi ch ca n be
determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or mor e of th e following
measures:

4

Notice to Users

❑

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 are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly appro ved in this
manual could void your authority to operate this
equipment.

Only peripherals (computer in put/output
devices, terminals, printers, etc.) that comply
with FCC Class B limi ts may be at tached to this
computer product. Op e ration with
noncompli ant peripher als is likely to r es ult in
interference to radio and te levision reception.

All cables used to connect peri pherals must be
shielded and grounded. Op eration with cables,
connected to peripherals, that are not shielded
and grounded, may result in int erference to
radio and television reception.

FCC Part 68

This equipm ent complie s w ith Part 68 of the
FCC rules. The FCC Ringer Equivalence
Number (REN) for this equipment is 0.7. If
requested, this information must be provided to
the telephon e company.

This modem uses the USO C RJ-11 telephone
jack.

The REN is used to determi ne the quantity of
devices which may be co nnected to the
telephone line. Exce ssive RENs on the
telephone line may result in th e devices not

ringing in response to an inco ming call. In
most, but not all areas, the sum of th e RENs
should not exceed five (5.0). To be certain of
the number of devi ce s th at may be c onn ect ed 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 eq uipment causes h arm to the
telephone network, the telephone company will
notify you in advance th at temporary
discontinuance of service m ay be required. But
if advance notice is not practical, the telephone
company will no tify the customer a s s oon as
possible. Also, you will be advised of your right
to file a complaint with the F CC if you bel iev e
it is necessar y.

The telephone company may make changes in
its facilities, equipment, operations or
procedures that could affect the operations of
the equipment. If this happens, the telephone
company will provide advance notice in order
for you to make the necessary modifications in
order to mai n tain uninterr upted servi ce.

If trouble is experienced wi th t his m odem, for
repair or warranty informat i on, ple ase contact
1-888-4SONY-PC, or write to the Sony
Customer Information Ce nte r, 12451 Gateway
Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33913. If the trouble is
causing harm to the telephone network, the
telephone company ma y request that you
remove the equipment from the network until
the problem is r esolved.

Repair of this equipment should be made only
by a Sony Service Center or Sony autho rize d
agent. For th e So ny Se rv ice C ente r near est yo u,
call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-6972).

This equipment cannot be use d on public coin
service provided by the telephone compan y.
Connection to Party Line Service is subject to
state and possible provincial tariffs. (Contact
the state or provincial util it y service
commission, public ser v ice commission, or
corporation commi ssion for information.)

5

VAIO® User Guide

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 message clearly contains, in a margin at the
top or bottom of each transmitted 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 the
telephone number of the sending machine or such
business, other entity, or individual.

To prog ram this inf orma tion i nto your fac sim ile
machine, see your fax software documentation.

Telephone Consumer Guidelines
(Canada)

Please refer to your t e lephone directory under
‘Privacy Issues’ and/or ‘Terms of Service.’ For
more detailed information, please co ntact:

CRTC
Terr as ses de la Chaudiére, Tour centrale
1 promenade du Portage, 5 étage Hull PQ K1A
0N2.

This Class B digit al ap p aratus complies with
Canadian ICES-003.

Cet àppareil numérique de la classe B est
conforme à la norme NMB -003 du Canada.

DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION
BATTERY

You can return your unwanted lithium 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 nearest you, call 1­888-476-6972 in the Unite d States or 1-800­961-7669 in Canada.

! Do not handle damaged or leaking

lithium ion batteries.

! Danger of explosion if battery is

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

! 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 battery promptly. Keep away
from children.

! Ne pas manipuler les batteries au

lithium-ion qui fuient ou sont
endommagées.

! Une batterie non conforme

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

! La manutention incorrecte 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.

6

Notice to Users

INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE

NOTICE: The Industry Canada label identifies
certified equipment. This certification means that
the equipment meets certain telecommunications
network protective, operational and safety
requirements as prescribed in the appropriate Ter­minal Equipment Technical Requirements docu­ment(s). The Department does not guarantee the
equipment will operate to the userís satisfaction.

Before installing this equipment, users shou ld
ensure that it is permissible to be co nnected to
the faciliti es o f the local telecommunications
company. The equipment must also be installed
using an acceptable method of connection.

The customer should be aware that compliance
with the above condi ti ons may not prevent
degradation of service in some situations.

Repairs to certified equipme nt should be
coordinated by a representative designated by
the supplier. Equipment malfunctions or any
repairs or alterations made by the user to this
equipment may give the telecommunications
company cause to request that the user
disconnect the equipment.

Users should ensure for their ow n prot e ct ion
that the electrical ground connections of the
power utility, telephone lines and internal
metallic water pipe system, if present, are
connected together. This precaution may be
particularly important in rural areas.

CAUTION: Users should not attempt to make
such connections themselves, but should
contact the appropriate electrical inspectio n
authority, or electrician, as appropriate.

NOTICE: The Ringer E qu ivalence Number
(REN) assigned to each terminal device
provides an ind icati on o f th e maxi mum numb er
of terminals allowed to be connected to a
telephone interface. The termination on an
interface may consist of any combination of
devices subject only to the requirement that the
sum of the Ringer Equivale nce Numbers of all

the devices does not exceed 5. The Ringer
Equivalence Number for this equipment is 0.7.

AVIS DE L’INDUSTRIE
CANADA

AVIS: L’étiquette d’Industrie Canada identifie
le matériel homologué.

Cette étique tte certifie qu e le matériel es t
conforme aux normes de protection,
d’exploitation et de sécurité des ré sea ux de
télécommunications, comme le prescrivent les
documents concernant les exigences techniques
relatives au matériel terminal. Le Ministère
n’assure toutefois pas qu e le matériel
fonctionnera à la sat is f action de l’utilisateur.

Avant d’installer ce matériel, l’utilisateur doit
s’assurer qu’il est permis de le raccorder aux
installations de l’entreprise locale de
télécommunication. Le matériel doit également
être installé en suivant une méthode acceptée d e
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 représentant désigné par
le fournisseur. L ’entreprise de télécommunications
peut demander à l’utilisateur de débrancher un
appareil à la suite de réparations ou de
modifications effectuées par l’utilisateur ou à
cause de mauvais fonctionnement.

Pour sa propre protection, l’u tili s at eur doit
s’assurer que to us les fils de mise à la terre d e la
source d’énergie électrique, des lignes
téléphoniques et des canalisati ons d’e au
métalliques, s’ il y en a, sont raccordés
ensemble. Cette préc auti on e st parti culi èr ement
importante dans les régions rurales.

Avertissement: L’utilisateur ne doit pa s tenter
de faire ces raccordements lui-même; il doit
avoir recours à un service d’inspection des

7

VAIO® User Guide

installations électriq ues, ou à un électricien,
selon le cas.

AVIS: L’indice d’équivalence de la sonnerie
(IES) assigné à chaque dispositif terminal
indique le nombre maximal de term inaux 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 l a som m e
d’indices d’équivalence de la sonne rie de tous
les dispositifs n’excède pas 5. L’indice
d’équivalence de la sonnerie de ce matériel est
de 0.7.

8

Contents

Notice to Users 2

Contents 9
Welcome 11

Choosing an Ergonomic Location 11
Front Panel Overview 12
Back Panel Overview 14

VAIO® Action Setup 17

Presetting i.LINK® devices 18

Sony Digital Media Park Applications 21

Movie Shaker 22
PictureGear™ 25
Using a Digital Video Camera Recorder 26

Configuring your VAIO® Computer 29

Hard Drive Partition 29
Defragmenting your Hard Disk Drive 29
i.LINK® (IEEE1394) Compatibility 29
Enabling Ethernet 31

9

VAIO® User Guide

System and Application Recovery CD(s) 33

Using the System Recovery CD(s) 33
Using the Application Recovery CD(s) 35

Troubleshooting 37

Topics 37
Notes on Use 47
For Answers to Your Software Questions 52
Resources 54

Specifications 57
Index 59

10

Welcome

Thank you for purchasing you r So ny VAIO® computer! Your new computer is a
superb blend of high technology and easy-to-use functionality. This User Guide
contains information about the applications included with your system, contact
information for software vendors, and the specifications for your computer.

Choosing an Ergonomic Location

Before you get started, find the best location for your new computer. Here are
some things to consider when planning your workspace:

❑

Stable work surface —

the computer and other equipment.

❑

Ventilation —

of your computer to enable proper ventil ation.

❑

Placement of the keyboard, mouse, and other input devices —

your keyboard, mouse, and other input devices so that your arms and hands are
in a relaxed, comfortable position. The keyboard should be directly in front of
you. Adjust the level of the keyboard so that your lower arms are parallel to the
floor. Keep your wrists in a relaxed position when you are using the keyboard—
not angled up or down. Use the palmrest only briefly, for resting. While typing,
never use the palmrest or rest your hands on the table. Position the mouse at the
same level as the keyboard. Hold the mouse with a relaxed hand, and use your
whole arm to move it. Take breaks during sessions with your computer.
Excessive use of the mouse or a joystick may strain muscles or tendons.

❑

Furniture and posture —

armrests. Adjust the level of the chair so your feet are flat on the floor. A
footrest may make you m ore comfortable. Sit with relaxe d, upright
posture—avoid slouching forward or leaning far backward.

❑

Viewing angle of the display —

in front of you, with the top of the screen at or a little below eye level. Use the
display’ s tilting feature to fin d the best po sition. You can reduce eye strain and
muscle fatigue by placing the display in the proper position.

Leave at least eight inches of space on the left and back sides

Use a stable work surface large enough to support

Place

Sit in a chair with good back support and

Position the display 18 to 26 inches directly

11

VAIO® User Guide

❑

Lighting —

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

Front Panel Overview

The front panel of your VAIO Computer provides access to the diskette and
CD-RW drives.

Front Controls (PCV-J120

CD-RW Drive 5

1 Floppy Disk Drive

Floppy Disk Drive
Access Indicator Light

3 Power Switch
and Indicator
Light

4 Hard Disk Drive
Access Indicator
Light

CD-RW 6
Eject Button

Diskette 7

Eject Button

12

1 Floppy disk drive

Reads and writes data from and to a 3.5-inch floppy disk.

2 Floppy disk drive access indicator light

Lights in green while reading/writing data from/to a floppy disk.

3 Power switch and indicator light

Turns the co mputer on/off. The ind ica tor lig ht is g re en wh ile th e p ower is on
and amber when the computer is in st andby mode.

4 Hard disk drive access indicator light

Lights in amber while reading/writing data from/to the hard disk.

5 CD-RW drive

Reads data from a CD and writes data to a CD-R or CD-RW disc.

6 CD-RW eject button

Ejects a CD.

7 Floppy disk eject button

Ejects the flopp y disk.

Front Panel Overview

13

VAIO® User Guide

Back Panel Overview

The back panel of your computer contains the connectors for supplied and
optional accessories. The icons on the back panel help locate and identify the
connectors on your computer.

Back Controls and Connectors (PCV-J120)

1 PS/2 Mouse

2 Keyboard

3 USB

4 Serial

5 Printer/Parallel

6 Monitor

7 Headphones

9 Games/MIDI

10 Microphone

8 LINE IN

AC Input (Power) 13

PCI Slot (Empty) 14

12 i.LINK (IEEE1394)

14

11 Ethernet

Line Jack 15

Telephone Jack 16

1 PS/2® mouse connector

Connects a PS/2 mouse.

2 PS/2 Keyboard connector

Connects a keyboard.

3 Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors (2)

Connects a USB device.

4 Serial connector

Connects a compatible serial device, such as a digital still cam era.

5 Printer connector

Connects a paralle l de vice, such as a printer or scanner.

6 Monitor connector

Connects a standard CRT display.

7 Headphones connector

Connects the supplied speakers or optional headphones.

8 Line in connector

Connects an audio device.

9 Game/MIDI connector

Connects a game or MIDI device.

10 Microphone (MIC) connector

Connects a microphone (optional).

11 Ethernet connector

10Base-T/100Base -T X Fast Ethernet interf ace.
The connector marked with (Network) is for LAN connections only.

12 i.LINK 6-pin (IEEE1394) connectors (2)

Connects a digital device such as a Sony Digital Handycam

13 AC Input connector

Connects the supplied po wer cord.

14 Empty PCI Slot

For a PCI Add-On Card (optional).

15 Line jack

Connects a modem cable to the wall jack.

16 Telephone cable jack

Connects the phone cable to the computer

Back Panel Overview

®

Camcorder.

15

VAIO® User Guide

16

VAIO® Action Setup

VAIO Action Setup manages the settings for your computer’s Shortcut keys
(S Keys) and i.LINK® interface. The programmable S Keys come with the
following applications as their default settings:

❑

S1 —

Outlook Express

❑

S2 —

Internet Explorer

❑

S3 —

Media Bar

❑

S4 —

Picture Gear

❑

S5 —

DVGate Motion

❑

S6 —

Help/Demo

All six buttons are reprogrammable.

To change the S Key settings

1

From the Start menu, select Progr ams > VAIO Action Setup > VAIO Action
Setup.

✍

You can also double-click on the Windows taskbar to open VAIO Action Setup.

2

Click the S Key you want to change.

3

From the Select Application dialog box, click the radio button for the desired type
of function. The corresponding applications appear in the list box on the right.

✍

You may also use the drag and drop feature to place any application into the list box.

4

The Confirmation Application Name window appears showing you the
application you have selected. Click Next.

5

You may now type a new name and description, if desired. Then click
Finish.

17

VAIO® User Guide

Presetting i.LINK® devices

Y ou can preset y our i.LINK-equipped devices to perform desired f unctions, such as
automatically starting DVgate™ applications or connecting two VAIO computers.

✍

i.LINK is a trademark of Sony used only to designate that a product contains an IEEE1394
connector. All products with an i.LINK connector may not communicate with each other.

To preset your i.LINK device to perform a desired function

1

From the Start menu, select Programs > VAIO Action Setup > VAIO Action
Setup.

2

Click i.LINK.

3

Click the Advanced Setting tab.

4

Click the Enable i.LINK launcher function checkbox and click Apply.

5

Connect the device to your computer with your i.LINK cable.

6

Turn on the device.
The VAI O Action Setup dialog box appears.

7

Click OK.

8

T o modify t he device name, click t he current device name i n the list box and
click Modify device name.

9

Type the desired name and click Apply.

10

To assign an application, click Modify.
The Select Application dialog box appears.

11

Select the desired application and click Next.

12

Click Next to confirm the application name.
The Input Application Name dialog box appears. You may change the name

and description of the application you want to launch.

13

Click Finish to complete this step.

The next time the device is connected and turned on, the assigned application
will launch automatically.

18

Presetting i.LINK® devices

Changing the Window Design of Sony Software

To change the window design

1

Click the Start button > Settings > Control Panel.

2

Click UI Design Selector.

3

Click << or >> and select the desired design.

4

Click Apply.

5

The “UI Design Selector” window design changes. The window design for
your Sony software will match the “UI Design Selector” window.

6

To try another selection, click << or >> and then click OK.

7

UI Design Selector closes and the Sony software window design displays.

✍

You may use the feature with UI Design Selector-compatible software only.

19