Sony PCG-K27 - VAIO - Mobile Pentium 4 3.06 GHz User manual

Welcome
Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony VAIO®computer, and welcome to the online VAIO®Computer User Guide.
This user guide provides detailed information on all aspects of using your new VAIO computer, from keyboard functions to
preinstalled software 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.
View the Electronic Flyer, which provides updates and supplemental information about your computer.
Go to the Sony Online Support Web site to view the VAIO®Computer Specifications, which list your computer's
hardware specifications and preinstalled software information.
For Sony software information, click Start and Welcome to VAIO life.
Page 1

Ergonomics and Caring for your Computer
Applying Ergonomics
Storing Your Computer
Using Cables and Connections
Cleaning Your Computer
Handling the LCD Screen
Page 2

Applying Ergonomics
Your computer is a portable device and can be used in a variety of environments. Whenever possible, you should apply the
following ergonomic considerations:
Position of your computer —Place the computer directly in front of you as you work. Keep your forearms
horizontal, with your wrists in a neutral, comfortable position while using the keyboard, touch pad, or external
mouse. Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides. Take breaks during sessions with your computer.
Excessive use of the computer may strain muscles or tendons.
Furniture and posture —Sit in a chair with good back support and armrests. 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 far backward.
Viewing angle of the computer's display —Tilt the display to find the best viewing angle. Also try adjusting the
brightness setting of the display. Following these suggestions can reduce eye strain and muscle fatigue.
Lighting —Choose a location where windows and lights do not create glare or reflection on the display. Use indirect
lighting to avoid bright spots on the display. You can purchase accessories for your display that help reduce glare.
Proper lighting adds to your comfort and work effectiveness.
Placement of an external display —When using an external display, set the display at a comfortable viewing
distance. Make sure the display screen is at eye level or slightly lower when you are sitting in front of the monitor.
Page 3

Storing Your Computer
Do not use or store your computer in a location subject to:
Heat sources, such as radiators or air ducts
Direct sunlight
Excessive dust
Moisture or rain
Mechanical vibration or shock
Strong magnets or speakers that are not magnetically shielded
Ambient temperature higher than 95ºF (35ºC) or less than 40ºF (5ºC)
High humidity
Do not place electronic equipment near your computer. When running, the computer's electromagnetic field may
cause other electronic equipment in close proximity to malfunction.
Provide adequate air circulation to prevent internal heat buildup. Do not place your computer on porous surfaces
such as rugs or blankets, or near materials such as curtains or draperies that may block ventilation. Leave a space
of at least 8 inches (20 cm) behind the back of the computer.
If the computer is brought directly from a cold location to a warm one, moisture may condense inside your computer.
In this case, allow at least one hour before turning on your computer. If any problems occur, unplug your computer,
and contact your Sony Service Center.
The computer uses high-frequency radio signals and may interfere with radio or TV reception. Should this occur,
move the computer a suitable distance away from the radio or TV.
Do not drop the computer or place heavy objects on top of the computer.
Page 4

Using Cables and Connections
Use only specified peripheral equipment and interface cables.
Do not use cut or damaged connection cables.
If the telephone company makes a service call to your home or office and determines that your computer is
responsible for a problem, the telephone company may bill you for the service call. Also, if you do not disconnect
your computer when it is adversely affecting a telephone line, the telephone company has the right to disconnect
your service until you correct the problem.
Page 5

Cleaning Your Computer
Clean the computer with a soft, dry cloth or a soft cloth lightly moistened with a mild detergent solution. Do not use
any type of abrasive pad, scouring powder, or solvent such as alcohol or benzine, as these may damage the finish
of your computer. You can use canned compressed air specifically for computers to remove dust.
If a solid object falls onto the computer or a liquid leaks into the computer, immediately turn off and unplug the
computer. It is best to have the computer checked by qualified personnel before you use it again.
Avoid rubbing the LCD screen as this can damage the screen. Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the LCD screen or
canned compressed air.
Always disconnect the power cord before cleaning the computer.
Page 6

Handling the LCD Screen
Direct sunlight can damage the LCD. Be careful when using the computer near a window.
Do not scratch the LCD or exert pressure on it. This can cause a malfunction.
Using the computer in low temperature conditions may produce a residual image on the screen. This is not a
malfunction. When the computer returns to normal temperature, the screen returns to normal.
The screen becomes warm during operation. This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction.
The LCD is manufactured using high-precision technology. You may, however, see tiny black points and/or bright
points (red, blue, or green) that continuously appear on the LCD. This is a normal result of the manufacturing
process and does not indicate a malfunction.
Page 7

Computer Features
Locating Controls and Ports
Using the Touch Pad
Using Memory Stick Media
Page 8

Locating Controls and Ports
Controls and ports on your computer
Front
1Hard disk drive indicator 9Left and right buttons
2Num lock indicator 10 Wireless LAN switch
3Caps lock indicator 11 Wireless LAN indicator
4Scroll lock indicator 12 Memory Stick®media indicator
5Power indicator 13 Memory Stick media slot
6Battery indicator 14 Keyboard
7Power button 15 Speakers
8Touch pad 16 Computer screen (LCD)
Back
Page 9

1DC IN port 5Air vent
2Modem jack 6USB 2.0 port
3Monitor (VGA) port 7Security lock slot
4Parallel (printer) port
Left
1Network (Ethernet) port 6USB 2.0 ports
2AV OUT jack 7Air vent
3Microphone jack 8PC Card slot
4Headphone jack 9PC Card eject button
5i.LINK®(IEEE 1394) S400 port
Only connect 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX cables to the Network (Ethernet) port. Do not connect any
other type of network cable or any telephone line to this port. Connecting cables other than those listed above may
result in an electric current overload and could cause a malfunction, excessive heat, or fire in the port. To connect the
unit to a network, refer to your on-screen VAIO®Computer User Guide or contact your network administrator.
Right
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1Battery bay 3Optical drive
2Optical drive eject button
Bottom
1Air vent 4Air vents
2Memory bay 5Air fan
3Hard disk drive bay
Page 11

Locating Controls and Ports
Controls and ports on your computer
Front
1Hard disk drive indicator 9Left and right buttons
2Num lock indicator 10 Wireless LAN switch
3Caps lock indicator 11 Wireless LAN indicator
4Scroll lock indicator 12 Memory Stick®media indicator
5Power indicator 13 Memory Stick media slot
6Battery indicator 14 Keyboard
7Power button 15 Speakers
8Touch pad 16 Computer screen (LCD)
Back
Page 12

1DC IN port 5Air vent
2Modem jack 6USB 2.0 port
3Monitor (VGA) port 7Security lock slot
4Parallel (printer) port
Left
1Network (Ethernet) port 6USB 2.0 ports
2AV OUT jack 7Air vent
3Microphone jack 8PC Card slot
4Headphone jack 9PC Card eject button
5i.LINK®(IEEE 1394) S400 port
Only connect 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX cables to the Network (Ethernet) port. Do not connect any
other type of network cable or any telephone line to this port. Connecting cables other than those listed above may
result in an electric current overload and could cause a malfunction, excessive heat, or fire in the port. To connect the
unit to a network, refer to your on-screen VAIO®Computer User Guide or contact your network administrator.
Right
Page 13

1Battery bay 3Optical drive
2Optical drive eject button
Bottom
1Air vent 4Air vents
2Memory bay 5Air fan
3Hard disk drive bay
Page 14

Using the Touch Pad
A pointing device called a touch pad is located in front of the keyboard. You can point to, select, drag, and scroll objects on
the screen using the built-in touch pad.
Page 15

Describing the touch pad
Locating the Touch Pad
Touch Pad Action Description
Sliding one finger Equivalent to using a mouse to place the pointer on an item.
Tapping once Equivalent to pressing the left button once.
Tapping twice Equivalent to pressing the left button twice.
Sliding one finger while pressing the left button Equivalent to using the mouse to drag an item.
Moving your finger along the right edge of the touch pad Equivalent to scrolling vertically. (The scroll function is available
only with programs that support a touch pad scroll feature.)
Moving your finger along the bottom to scroll horizontally Equivalent to scrolling horizontally. (The scroll function is
available only with programs that support a touch pad scroll feature.)
Page 16

Customizing the touch pad
Sony Notebook Setup lets you customize, enable, or disable the touch pad. Open the Mouse Properties dialog box to set
your touch pad and mouse preferences, such as changing pointers, enabling or disabling the tapping feature, clicking both
buttons simultaneously, and adjusting the touch pad speed.
To customize the touch pad and mouse
1. Click Start on the taskbar, and point to All Programs.
2. Point to Sony Notebook Setup, and then click Sony Notebook Setup from the submenu.
3. On the Device tab, click to select Pointing Device.
4. Click Settings.
The Mouse Properties dialog box appears.
If you change your touch pad settings using the Mouse Properties dialog box, you may need to restart your
computer before the changes take effect.
To enable the touch pad
1. Press the Windows key . The Start menu appears.
2. Press Puntil All Programs is selected, and press Enter.
3. Press Suntil Sony Notebook Setup is selected, and press Enter. A submenu appears with Sony Notebook
Setup preselected.
4. Press Enter. The Sony Notebook Setup dialog box appears.
5. Press the Right Arrow key to select the Device tab.
6. Press the Tab key to select the Default button, and press Enter. A pop-up window appears.
7. Press the Left Arrow key to select OK, and press Enter. The Enable Touchpad option is automatically
selected.
8. Press the Tab key to select the Apply button, and press Enter.
9. Click OK.
To disable the touch pad
1. Click Start on the Windows®taskbar, and point to All Programs.
2. Point to Sony Notebook Setup, and click Sony Notebook Setup in the submenu. The Sony Notebook Setup
dialog box appears.
3. Click the Device tab.
4. In the left panel, click to cancel the Pointing Device check box.
5. Click Apply. A Sony Notebook Setup message appears.
6. Click Yes.
Page 17

Frequently asked questions
What do I do if the touch pad does not work?
Try restarting your computer. Follow these steps:
1. Press the Windows key .
2. Press U. The Turn off computer window opens.
3. Press Rto restart the computer.
If the computer does not restart,
1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete simultaneously. The Windows Task Manager window appears.
2. Press and release Alt to highlight the menu bar, and press the Right Arrow key to select Shut Down.
3. Press Enter.
4. Press Rto restart the computer.
If you still cannot restart your computer, press and hold the power button to turn off the computer.
If the pointer does not move while playing a disc, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete simultaneously to stop playback and
restart the computer.
If you are still experiencing problems, make sure another mouse is not installed.
You may have disabled the touch pad without connecting a mouse to the computer. See To enable the touch pad.
How do I change the left and right button assignments?
If your computer is interpreting a single-click as a double-click or a left-click as a right-click, you may want to change the
button assignments. Follow these steps:
1. Click Start on the Windows®taskbar and click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware and
Mouse. The Mouse Properties dialog box appears with the Buttons tab selected.
2. Select your preferences in the Button configuration box, and then click Apply to install your settings.
You may need to use the Tab key and the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to make your selections.
3. Click OK to close the window.
Page 18

Using Memory Stick Media
This compact, portable, and versatile recording medium has a data capacity exceeding that of a floppy disk. The medium is
specially designed for exchanging and sharing digital data with compatible products. Because it is removable, the media can
be used for external data storage.
Page 19

Selecting Memory Stick media
Memory Stick®media are a compact, portable, and versatile data storage media designed for exchanging and sharing digital
data with compatible devices. The following types of Memory Stick media are available, but compatibility with your computer
can vary.
Memory Stick PRO media —Provides MagicGate copyright protection and high-speed transfer features when used
with compatible Memory Stick PRO devices. VAIO®computers support Memory Stick PRO media for data storage
purposes only. Currently, high-speed data transfer and the MagicGate technology features, such as authentication
and encryption, are not available. You can store different data formats on a single Memory Stick PRO media.
MagicGate Memory Stick media (MG Memory Stick media) —Provides copyright protection with authentication and
encryption, using Sony®MagicGate technology. Authentication ensures that protected content is only transferred
between compliant devices and media. Protected content can be recorded and transferred in an encrypted format to
prevent unauthorized duplication or playback. You can store different data formats on a single Memory Stick media.
Memory Stick media —Provides data storage only. The Memory Stick media does not provide MagicGate technology
or high-speed data transfer. You can store different data formats on a single Memory Stick media.
Currently, Sony®SonicStage and OpenMG software are not compatible with the new Memory Stick PRO media. Sony
suggests using only MG Memory Stick media to store and transfer any data created with SonicStage or OpenMG software.
Visit the Sony Computing Support Web site at http://www.sony.com/pcsupport regularly for the latest information on the
new Memory Stick PRO media.
Memory Stick media do not support video file playback directly from the media. Copy the video file to your hard disk
drive and then play back the file.
Page 20