Sony VGN-NS20Z, VGN-TT21M, VGN-TT21XN, VGN-TT2, VGN-NS21M Troubleshooting Guide

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Important

Be sure to create recovery discs immediately after your computer is ready for use because there are no recovery discs provided with the computer. For instructions on how to create the recovery discs, see “Creating your own recovery discs” on page 16.

Finding information on your computer

The following documents are included with your Sony VAIO® computer.

Printed Documentation

❑ Quick Start Guide

Describes the process from unpacking to starting up your VAIO.

❑ Troubleshooting and Recovery Guide (this booklet)

Contains solutions to problems other than those you encounter during normal operation, an explanation of how to make a backup copy of your data and recover your computer system, and sources of support information.

❑ Regulations, Guarantee, EULA and Service Support

Contains Sony guarantee conditions, safety / regulations, modem regulations, wireless LAN regulations, wireless WAN regulations,

Bluetooth Sony support services information.

regulations, end user software license agreement, and

On-screen Documentation

❑ User Guide

Explains features of your computer. It also includes information on solving common problems. The User Guide is provided in the PDF format for easy browsing and printing.

To view this on-screen guide:

1 Double-click the Me&My VAIO icon on the desktop. 2 Click Menu, Me&My VAIO, I Need Help, and VAIO User Guide. 3 Open the folder for your language. 4 Select the guide you want to read.

❑ Specifications

The online specifications describe the hardware and software configurations of your VAIO computer.

To view the online specifications:

1 Connect to the Internet. 2 Go to the Sony online support web site at

http://www.vaio-link.com.

Contents

Finding information on your computer.................................2

Introduction to this guide .....................................................5

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting...................................................................8

What should I do if my computer does not start?............................ 8

What should I do if a BIOS error appears

when I turn on my computer? .................................................. 9

What should I do if the green power indicator light turns on

but my screen remains blank?................................................. 9

What should I do if my computer or software

stops responding? ................................................................. 10

What should I do if the charge indicator light is blinking fast

and my computer does not start? .......................................... 10

What should I do if a message window, notifying of

incompatibility or improper installation of the battery pack,

appears and my computer enters Hibernate mode? ............. 11

What should I do if Windows does not start

and a message appears, when I start my computer?............ 11

What should I do if I cannot remember

the power-on password? ....................................................... 11

Recovering your VAIO system

Before using your computer.............................................. 14

What to do first..................................................................................... 15

Creating your own recovery discs........................................................ 16

To create recovery discs ...............................................................17

Backing up and restoring your data using

Backup and Restore Center .........................................................18

To back up your data..................................................................... 18

To create a restore point ...............................................................21

Backing up and restoring your data with the VAIO software................ 23

To back up your data with Rescue Data........................................23

To restore your data with VAIO Data Restore Tool ....................... 25

Restoring the preinstalled software or software drivers .......................26

To use Reinstall Programs or Drivers............................................ 26

Finding out what to do in case of computer malfunctions...... 27

If your computer does not work properly.............................................. 27

If Windows starts ...........................................................................28

If Windows does not start ..............................................................29

Recovering your VAIO system.......................................... 30

Before starting the recovery process ................................................... 30

Recovering your VAIO system when you can start Windows .............. 32

To restore the C drive.................................................................... 32

To restore your entire computer system........................................32

Recovering your VAIO system when you cannot start Windows ......... 33

To recover your computer system using recovery discs ...............33

To recover your computer system from recovery partition ............ 33

Changing the partition sizes ............................................. 34

About hard disk partitioning .................................................................34

Creating a hard disk partition ............................................................... 34

To create a partition with the Windows feature .............................35

To create a partition in the recovery process ................................35

Erasing everything on your hard disk ............................... 36

Erasing all of your data on your hard disk with

Wipe and Erase Data ................................................................... 36

Introduction to this guide

This guide covers the following important areas:

❑ Troubleshooting

This section contains solutions to problems other than those you encounter during normal operation. For problems that are not described in this section, see the Troubleshooting section on the on-screen User Guide. You can find more troubleshooting topics on the Sony online support web site at http://www.vaio-link.com.

Always read these sections before contacting VAIO-Link or your local Sony dealer directly.

You can also search for more information by using Windows Help and Support. Windows Help and Support is a comprehensive resource for practical advice, tutorials, and demonstrations to help you learn to use your computer. Use the Search feature, Index, or table of contents to view all Windows Help resources, including those that are on the Internet.

To access Windows Help and Support, click Start and Help and Support. Or go to Windows Help and Support by pressing and holding the Microsoft Windows key and pressing the F1 key.

❑ Recovering your VAIO system

An important part of using your computer is being able to perform a recovery of the system and applications. This section explains everything you need to know about recovering your system. It is very important that you read this section before using your computer, and always before attempting to make a recovery of any kind. See computer” on page 14.

See “Troubleshooting” on page 8.

“Before using your

Depending on the model you purchased, your computer may be equipped with flash memory storage devices instead of hard disk drives. However, all built-in storage devices are referred to as a hard disk in this booklet.

Troubleshooting

What should I do if my computer does not start?

❑ Make sure your computer is securely plugged into a power source and

turned on and the power indicator light is lit.

❑ Make sure the battery pack (if applicable) is installed properly and

charged.

❑ Disconnect all connected USB devices, if any.

❑ If your computer is plugged into a power strip or an uninterruptible power

supply (UPS), make sure the power strip or UPS is plugged into a power source and turned on.

❑ If you are using an external display, make sure it is plugged into a power

source and turned on. Make sure the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted correctly. See the manual that came with your display for more information.

❑ Unplug the power cord or the AC adapter, and remove the battery pack

(if applicable). Wait three to five minutes. Reinstall the battery pack (if applicable), plug the power cord or the AC adapter, and then press the power button or slide the power switch to turn on your computer.

❑ Condensation may cause your computer to malfunction. If this occurs, do

not use the computer for at least one hour.

❑ Remove any extra memory modules you may have installed since

purchase.

❑ Check that you are using the supplied Sony power cord or AC adapter.

For your safety, use only the genuine Sony rechargeable battery pack (if applicable) and power cord or AC adapter, which are supplied by Sony for your VAIO computer.

Troubleshooting

What should I do if a BIOS error appears when I turn on my computer?

This Q & A entry applies to VGX-TP series models only.

If the message “Press <F1> to resume, <F2> to setup” appears at the bottom of the screen, follow these steps:

1 Press the F2 key.

The BIOS setup screen appears. If not, restart the computer and press the F2 key several times when the VAIO logo appears.

2 Set the date (month/day/year). Press the Enter key. 3 Press the m key to select System Time, and then set the time (hour:

minute: second). Press the Enter key.

4 Press the , key to select the Exit tab, and then press the F9 key.

At the confirmation prompt, press the Enter key.

5 Select Exit Setup, and press the Enter key.

At the confirmation prompt, press the Enter key. Your computer restarts.

If this occurs frequently, contact VAIO-Link.

What should I do if the green power indicator light turns on but my screen remains blank?

❑ Press the Alt+F4 keys several times to close the application window. An

application error may have occurred.

❑ Press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys and click the arrow next to the Shut

down button and Restart.

❑ Press and hold the power button or slide and hold the power switch for

more than four seconds to shut down your computer. Unplug the power cord or the AC adapter and leave the computer for about five minutes. Then, plug the power cord or the AC adapter and turn on the computer again.

Turning off your computer with the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys or the power button/switch may cause loss of unsaved data.

What should I do if my computer or software stops responding?

❑ If your computer stops responding while a software application is

running, press the Alt+F4 keys to close the application window.

❑ If the Alt+F4 keys do not work, click Start, the arrow next to the Lock

button, and Shut Down to turn off your computer.

❑ If your computer does not turn off, press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys and

click the arrow If the Windows Security window appears, click Shut Down.

Turning off your computer with the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys or the power button/switch may cause loss of unsaved data.

❑ If your computer still does not turn off, press and hold the power button

or slide and hold the power switch until the computer turns off.

❑ Unplug the power cord or the AC adapter, and remove the battery pack

❑ Try reinstalling the software.

❑ Contact the software publisher or designated provider for technical

support.

next to the Shut down button and Shut Down.

What should I do if the charge indicator light is blinking fast and my computer does not start?

❑ This problem could be due to the battery pack not being installed

properly. To resolve this problem, turn off your computer and remove the battery pack. Then reinstall the battery pack to the computer again. For details, see the on-screen User Guide.

❑ If the problem persists after performing the above, it means the installed

battery pack is not compatible. Remove the battery pack and contact VAIO - Link .

Troubleshooting

What should I do if a message window, notifying of incompatibility or improper installation of the battery pack, appears and my computer enters Hibernate mode?

❑ This problem could be due to the battery pack not being installed

properly. To resolve this problem, turn off your computer and remove the battery pack. Then reinstall the battery pack to the computer again. For details, see the on-screen User Guide.

❑ If the problem persists after performing the above, it means the installed

battery pack is not compatible. Remove the battery pack and contact VAIO- Link .

What should I do if Windows does not start and a message appears, when I start my computer?

If you enter a wrong power-on password three times consecutively, the Enter Onetime Password message appears and Windows will not start. Press and

hold the power button or slide and hold the power switch for more than four seconds to check that the power indicator light turns off. Wait for 10 or 15 seconds, then restart your computer and enter the correct password. When entering the password, check that the Num lock and Caps lock indicators are unlit. If both or either of the lights is lit, press the Num Lk (or Num Lock) key or the Caps Lock key to turn off the indicator before entering the password.

What should I do if I cannot remember the power-on password?

If you have forgotten the power-on password, contact VAIO-Link to reset it. A reset fee will be charged.

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