Sony Vaio VGC-RA204 Installation instructions

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Hardware Guide
VGC-RA series (PCV-A11M)

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Notice
© 2004 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 machine-readable 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 U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights. Use of this copyright
protection technology must be authorised by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorised by Macrovision.
Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.
In the manual, the ™ or ®marks are not specified.
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.
Please note that the illustrations in this manual may not necessarily apply to your model. Please see the Specifications sheet for the
specific configuration of your VAIO.

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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
Office Equipment Program is an international program that promotes energy saving through the use of 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.
ENERGY STAR is a U.S. registered mark.
Environmental information
Halogenated flame retardants are not used in cabinets.
Corrugated cardboard is used for packaging cushions.
Owner's record
The serial number, model number and product key are located on the back of your Sony desktop. Record the numbers and refer to
them if you call VAIO-Link. See also the printed Specifications document.

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Safety information
General
❑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.
❑Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type. Dispose of used batteries according to the instructions.
❑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 and magnetic bracelets.
You can find detailed safety information in the Regulations Guide.
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.
❑Take care 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.

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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 as a service to our customers.
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.
Before activating the built-in modem, please read the Regulaions Guide leaflet.
You can find detailed safety information in the Regulations Guide.

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Disposing of the internal memory backup battery
❑Your Sony VAIO desktop is equipped with an internal back-up memory battery (motherboard 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: 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.
Disposing of the AA batteries
Some models are delivered with a remote control.
❑The bundled remote control is powered by AA batteries.
❑Do not handle damaged or leaking batteries.
❑Dispose of promptly and properly at end-of-life.
❑May explode or leak if recharged, disposed of in fire, mixed with other types of battery or improperly installed.
❑Keep away from children.
❑In some areas, the disposal of batteries in household or business waste may be prohibited. Please use the public collection
system.

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Welcome
Hardware Guide
Welcome
Congratulations on purchasing a Sony VAIO computer. Sony has combined leading-edge technology in audio, video, computing
and communications to provide you with state-of-the-art personal computing.
As well as exceptional performance, here are the main features you can enjoy:
❑Dual drives – Enjoy the freedom of two optical 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. You can link up your PC to your
Home Cinema equipment and enjoy surround sound.
❑Multimedia features – Enjoy audio and video CDs and DVDs, even record them yourself.
❑Dual layer video storage - This new DVD media format allows writing in 2 layers for increased video storage capacity (8.5GB
as compared to 4.7GB standard DVD).
❑VAIO Zone – Take advantage of this new software application, allowing you to enjoy music, video, and photos locally or through
a home networking environment. If your computer has TV tuner functionalities, you can also watch/record TV on your VAIO.
❑TVTV – tvtv takes your VAIO's TV functions to a new level. Never miss your favourite TV programme again, by remote-recording
it via the Internet onto your TV tuner-equipped VAIO. The tvtv Interactive Programme Guide gives you a comprehensive overview
of what's on when and automatically synchronises it with your VAIO, wherever you happen to be at the time.
❑Sony Memory Stick PRO/Duo slot – This compact digital storage medium allows you to easily transfer images, sounds, data
and text between cameras, computers, and more.
❑Interconnectivity – Your computer has Memory Stick, USB 2.0, i.LINK, CompactFlash, xD-Picture and Secure Digital/MMC
functionalities.
❑Serial ATA - This port on your hard drive allows you to expand your computer with up to 4 additional hard drives.
❑Windows XP – Your system includes the latest operating system from Microsoft.

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Hardware Guide
❑Excellent customer support – If you are experiencing any problems with your computer, please check the VAIO-Link website
for a possible solution: www.vaio-link.com. Before contacting VAIO-Link, please try to solve the problem by reading this guide,
your printed Guide to Troubleshooting and Recovering your VAIO System, the online help files in the Windows Help and
Support Center or the manuals and help files for the peripherals or software.

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Documentation pack
Your documentation pack contains printed information and user guides to read on your computer.
Guides are provided in PDF format, which you can easily browse through and print out.
The My Info Centre portal is a perfect starting point to using your VAIO - a comprehensive collection of everything you need to get
the most from your PC.
The user guides are collected under My Documentation, which can be shown as follows:
1Go to Start and click the My Info Centre icon .
2From My Home, select your country and language from the drop-down boxes.
3From the pictures at the top of the window click My Documentation .
4Select the guide you want to read.
✍You can manually browse to the user guides by going to My Computer > VAIO (C:) (your C drive) > My Documentation > Documentation and opening the folder for your
language.
You may have a separate disc for the documentation of bundled accessories.