Sony PCG-R505EL VAIO User Guide (primary manual) User manual

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Contents
Welcome.......................................................9
Using Your VAIO Computer .....................11
Using the Keyboard...................................................12
Functions of the keyboard keys .........................................12
Indicators ...........................................................................14
Indicator lights ...................................................................14
Combinations and functions with the Windows key .........15
Combinations and functions with the Fn key ....................16
Using the Touchpad ..................................................18
VAIO Action Setup...................................................20
Using the Center Jog Dial Control ............................21
Using the center Jog Dial control ......................................21
Launcher mode ..................................................................22
Using Guide Mode.............................................................23
Using the center Jog Dial control with Sony software ......23
Using the center Jog Dial control with other software ......24
Using a PC Card........................................................25
Notes on using PC Cards ...................................................27

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Using Memory Stick Media...................................... 28
Types of Memory Stick media.......................................... 28
Inserting Memory Stick media.......................................... 28
Viewing the contents of a Memory Stick media............... 29
Removing Memory Stick media ....................................... 29
Write-protecting a Memory Stick media .......................... 30
Formatting a Memory Stick media ................................... 30
Notes on Memory Stick media.......................................... 31
Using Power Saving Modes...................................... 33
Normal mode..................................................................... 33
Standby mode.................................................................... 33
Hibernate mode................................................................. 33
Notes on power saving modes .......................................... 34
Connecting a Telephone Line ................................... 35
Connecting to a LAN................................................ 36
Setting up your Ethernet connection................................. 36
Connecting to a Wireless LAN................................. 38
Turning On Wireless LAN................................................ 38
The Wireless LAN Access Point ...................................... 38
Communication with an Access Point (infrastructure) ..... 39
Communicating without an Access Point (peer-to-peer).. 40
Turning Off Wireless LAN ............................................... 41
Notes on using Wireless LAN .......................................... 41
Connecting Peripheral Devices ...............43
Connecting the Docking Station ............................... 44
Connecting the computer to the docking station............... 46
Disconnecting the computer from the docking station ..... 48
Disconnecting the docking station when the computer is on
49
Using the Floppy Disk Drive .................................... 52

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Using an Optical Disc Drive .....................................54
Playing a DVD...................................................................55
Playing an audio CD ..........................................................56
Notes on CD and DVD discs .............................................57
Connecting an i.LINK Optical Disc Drive................58
Connecting an i.LINK optical disc drive ...........................58
Notes on using i.LINK optical disc drives.........................60
Connecting a Parallel Port Printer.............................61
Connecting a USB Printer .........................................62
Connecting an External Display................................63
Connecting a USB Device.........................................68
Connecting an i.LINK Device...................................70
Notes on i.LINK devices ...................................................71
Connecting VAIO Computers...................................73
If your computer is connected to the docking station........74
Connecting External Speakers ..................................76
Connecting an External Microphone.........................77
Expanding Your Computer Capabilities ...................78
Personal Digital Assistant..................................................78
Wireless LAN Access Point ..............................................78
Customizing Your VAIO Computer..........81
Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen ...........82
Sony Notebook Setup tabs.................................................83
Controlling Power Management ...............................84
Viewing the Power Management status icons ...................84
Power Management profiles ..............................................85
Power Management commands .........................................87
Conserving battery power..................................................88

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Displaying Battery Information ................................ 89
Battery icon descriptions................................................... 89
Displaying detailed battery information ........................... 90
Selecting the Display Mode...................................... 92
To select the display mode................................................ 92
To change the window design of Sony software .............. 92
Adding Memory .........................................95
Precautions and Procedures ...................................... 96
Typical expansion memory configuration ........................ 96
Removing a Memory Module................................... 98
Installing a Memory Module .................................... 99
Viewing Memory.................................................... 102
About the Software on Your Computer.103
Overview of the Software on Your Computer........ 104
Software Support Information ................................ 110
Sony Service Center................................................ 113
VAIO AV Applications.............................115
Overview of Preinstalled Software ......................... 116
DigitalPrint Software .............................................. 119
Using PhotoCapture ........................................................ 119
Using PhotoCollection .................................................... 122
Using PhotoDecor ........................................................... 124
Using PhotoAlbum.......................................................... 125
Using LabelMaker........................................................... 127
DVgate Software..................................................... 129

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MovieShaker Software............................................131
Creating movies with MovieShaker software..................132
Using the ImageStation online service with MovieShaker
software............................................................................136
Smart Capture Software ..........................................139
Using Still Mode..............................................................140
Using Net Movie Mode ...................................................143
Using the ImageStation online service with Smart Capture
software............................................................................146
SonicStage Software ...............................................149
Electronic Music Distribution (EMD) Services...............149
Starting SonicStage Software ..........................................149
Recording from a CD.......................................................151
Transferring songs (Check-In/Check-Out) ......................153
Additional features...........................................................155
SonicStage Premium Software................................157
Overview of SonicStage Premium Software ...................157
Using SonicStage Premium Software..............................159
Using Playback and Recording Features .........................165
Using the Visualizer, Equalizer, and Sound Effects........171
Using the FM Tuner.........................................................173
Using the Timer Functions ..............................................175
Additional Information ....................................................177
Additional Software Information............179
Legal Information ....................................181
Using the Recovery CDs.........................183
Application and System Recovery CDs ..................184

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Using Your Recovery CDs ..................................... 185
Using the Application Recovery CD(s) .......................... 185
Using the System Recovery CD(s) ................................. 187
Troubleshooting......................................191
Troubleshooting Your Computer............................ 192
My computer does not start............................................. 192
My computer starts but a BIOS error appears................. 192
My computer starts, but the message “Operating system not
found” appears, and Windows does not start.................. 193
My computer stops responding or does not shut down... 194
My computer is unstable. ................................................ 195
The sound of my computer’s fan is too loud. ................. 195
Why does the System Properties dialog box display a slower
CPU speed than advertised?............................................ 195
Troubleshooting the Docking Station ..................... 196
I cannot operate the optical drive in the docking station,
when the docking station is connected to the computer.. 196
I cannot operate the optical drive in the docking station,
when the docking station is connected to the computer and
the computer is connected to another computer via an
i.LINK connection. ......................................................... 196
An error message appears while disconnecting the docking
station, even after following the correct procedure for dis-
connecting the docking station........................................ 197
I cannot remove the disc. ................................................ 197
The disc tray does not eject even after I press the Eject but-
ton.................................................................................... 197
Troubleshooting the LCD Screen ........................... 198
My LCD screen is blank. ................................................ 198
My LCD screen continues to show the previous screen. 198
The image on my connected external display is not centered

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or sized properly. .............................................................198
I want to change the video resolution of my display. ......198
Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad.............199
My mouse does not work.................................................199
My touchpad does not work properly. .............................199
The pointer does not move when I use the Touchpad or
Mouse...............................................................................200
Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards, and Peripheral De-
vices.........................................................................201
My floppy disk drive cannot write to a floppy disk.........201
My optical drive is not playing my CD or DVD properly.....
201
My optical drive tray does not open. ...............................202
I cannot use Digital Video (DV) devices. The message “DV
equipment seems to be disconnected or turned off” appears.
202
My PC Card does not work..............................................202
Troubleshooting the Software .................................203
My software program stops responding or crashes. ........203
When I click an application icon, the message “You must in-
sert the application CD into your optical drive” appears, and
the software does not start. ..............................................203
The application cannot find a file while a PC Card is insert-
ed......................................................................................203
What software do I use for CD-R/CD-RW software func-
tions?................................................................................203
Troubleshooting i.LINK Devices............................204
I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO comput-
ers when using an i.LINK cable.......................................204
Troubleshooting the Modem ...................................205
My modem does not work. ..............................................205
My modem connection is slow. .......................................205

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Troubleshooting Audio ........................................... 206
My speakers have no sound. ........................................... 206
My microphone does not work. ...................................... 207
Troubleshooting Wireless LAN functions.............. 208
I cannot use the Wireless LAN functionality.................. 208
I cannot set up a Wireless LAN. ..................................... 208
The computer cannot connect to a Wireless LAN Access
Point. ............................................................................... 209
I cannot access the Internet. ............................................ 209
The data transfer speed is slow. ...................................... 210
The communication speed is interrupted or slowed down
when MPEG2 data is transferred. ................................... 210
The IBSS Ad-hoc mode channel is different from the one I
specified. ......................................................................... 210
The settings cannot be saved in “Edit Configuration,” even
when I enter the encryption key with “Use hexadecimal.”...
210
The computer connects automatically to a Wireless LAN
Access Point.................................................................... 210
Troubleshooting the Printer .................................... 211
I cannot print. .................................................................. 211
Getting Help.............................................213
Support Options ...................................................... 213
Index.........................................................215

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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
applications.
In the left navigation window, click the topics you want to learn more
about, and that information will be displayed in this main window.
✍Click here to find the latest updates and supplemental information about your
computer.

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Using Your VAIO Computer
This section describes the following aspects of your new computer:
❑Using the Keyboard
❑Using the Touchpad
❑VAIO Action Setup
❑Using the Center Jog Dial Control
❑Using a PC Card
❑Using Memory Stick Media
❑Using Power Saving Modes
❑Connecting a Telephone Line
❑Connecting to a LAN
❑Connecting to a Wireless LAN

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Using the Keyboard
Your keyboard is very similar to that of a typewriter, but the keyboard has
additional keys that perform specific computer-related tasks.
Functions of the keyboard keys
Keyboard
Key Description
Numeric keypad
area
Contains the keys found on a typical calculator. Use the
numeric keypad area to type numbers or to perform
mathematical calculations such as addition and subtraction.
Note: You must press the Num Lock key to activate the
numeric keypad. (When you do so, the Num Lock indicator
will be on.) Press the Num Lock key again to deactivate it.
Navigation keys The Left/Right/Up/Down arrows move the cursor on the
screen and also function as the Home, End, Page Up, and Page
Down keys, respectively.
Correction keys The Insert, Backspace, and Delete keys enable you to make
corrections in your documents.
Function Keys Print Screen Key
Shift
Fn Key
Windows® Key
Alt Key
Applications Key
Numeric Keypad Area Navigation Keys
Correction Keys
Fn
Key
Backspace
Key
Ctrl Key
Key

Using the Keyboard
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Function keys The 12 function keys along the top of the keyboard are used to
perform designated tasks. For example, in many applications,
F1 is the Help key. The task associated with each function key
may vary from one application to the next.
Escape key The Esc (Escape) key is used to cancel commands.
Print Screen key The Print Screen key takes an electronic snapshot of the
screen and places it in the Windows® Clipboard. You can then
paste the screen shot into a document and print it.
Operator keys Several keys are always used with at least one other key: Ctrl,
Alt, and Shift. When held down with another key, the Ctrl
(Control) and Alt (Alternate) keys offer another way to give
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 operates
the same way as on a typewriter; it is used to produce capital
letters or special symbols such as @ and $.
Windows key The key with the Windows® logo displays the Windows Start
menu; it is the equivalent of clicking the Start button on the
task bar. See “Combinations and functions with the Windows
key” for more information.
Fn key The Fn key is used in combination with other keys to issue
commands. See “Combinations and functions with the Fn
key” for more information.
Applications key The Applications key displays a shortcut menu of context-
sensitive choices. Pressing this key is the equivalent of
clicking the right mouse button.
Key Description

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Indicators
Indicator lights
Indicator Function
Power Light is green when the computer is powered on, flashes amber
when the computer is in Standby mode, and turns off when the
computer is in Hibernate mode or is powered off.
Battery
Indicates the status of the battery, which is attached at the rear
of the computer.
Memory Stick Indicates the Memory Stick® slot is in use.
Docking Station Indicates the docking station is in use.
Light On Off
Hard disk Data is being read from or
written to the hard drive. Do
not enter Standby mode or
turn off the computer when
this indicator light is on.
The hard drive is not being
accessed.

Using the Keyboard
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Combinations and functions with the Windows key
Num Lock The number keys in the
numeric keypad are active.
The character keys in the
keypad area are active.
Caps Lock Letters appear in uppercase as
you type. The Shift key lowers
the case of typed letters when
Caps Lock is on.
Letters appear in lower case as
you type (unless you hold down
the Shift key).
Scroll Lock The screen scrolls differently.
(Exactly how it scrolls
depends on the specific
application. It has no effect in
many applications.)
Information moves across the
display normally.
Combination Function
+ F1 Displays Windows® Help.
+ Tab Switches the selected button on the taskbar.
+ E Displays Windows Explorer.
+ F Displays the Search window to find a file or folder. This is the
equivalent of selecting Search from the Start menu.
+ Ctrl + F Displays the Search Results: Computers window where you can
locate other computers. This is the equivalent of selecting Search
and then Computers from the Start menu.
+ M Minimizes all displayed windows.
Light On Off

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Combinations and functions with the Fn key
Shift + + M Returns all minimized windows to their previous size.
+ R Displays the Run window. This is the equivalent of selecting Run
from the Start menu.
Fn + +
Insert
Displays the System Properties window. This is the equivalent of
selecting Control Panel and then System from the Start menu.
Combination/
Feature Functions
Fn+ (F3)
Speaker switch
Toggles the built-in speaker off and on.
Fn+ (F4)
Speaker volume
Adjusts the built-in speaker volume.
To increase volume, press Fn+F4, then or .
To decrease volume, press Fn+F4, then or .
Fn+ (F5)
Brightness control
Adjusts brightness of the LCD.
To increase light intensity, press Fn+F5, then or .
To decrease light intensity, press Fn+F5, then or .
Fn+ / (F7)
Switch to the
external display
Toggles through the LCD and external display.
Combination Function
Only LCD LCD and external display
Only external display

Using the Keyboard
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Fn+ (F12)
Hibernate
Provides for the lowest level of power consumption. When
you execute this command, the state of the system and state of
the peripheral devices are written to the hard disk and the
system power is turned off. To return the system to the
original state, use the power switch to turn on power.
Fn + Esc
Standby
Puts the system into Standby mode, a power management
state. To return the system to the active state, press any key or
press the power button on your computer.
Fn +F
Display control
Minimizes or maximizes the display window. If the default
display resolution is reduced, this function maximizes the
display resolution to fit the screen size. Maximizing the
display window allows you to view the display at a greater
resolution.
✍You can also carry out these functions using the center Jog Dial™ control. Some
functions are not available until Windows® launches.
Combination/
Feature Functions

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Using the Touchpad
The keyboard contains a pointing device called a touchpad. You can point to,
select, drag, and scroll objects on the screen using the built-in touchpad.
Touchpad
Actions Descriptions
Point Slide one finger on the touchpad to place the pointer on an item
or object.
Click Press the left button once.
Double-click Press the left button twice.
Pointer
Left Button
Touchpad Right Button

Using the Touchpad
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The Mouse Properties dialog box lets you customize your mouse and touchpad
features, such as touch sensitivity, motion, and buttons.
To open the Mouse Properties dialog box:
1Click Start on the Windows taskbar, point to Settings, and then Control
Panel.
2Select Mouse. The Mouse Properties dialog box opens.
Right-click Press the right button once. In many applications, this action
displays a shortcut menu of context-sensitive choices.
Drag Slide one finger while pressing the left button.
Scroll Move your finger along the right edge of the touchpad to scroll
vertically. Move your finger along the bottom edge to scroll
horizontally. (The scroll function is available only with
applications that support a touchpad scroll feature.)
Actions Descriptions

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VAIO Action Setup
VAIO Action Setup manages the settings for your computer’s center Jog Dial™
control and Timer. An overview of some of the functions controlled by VAIO
Action Setup is provided below. For more information on changing the settings
using VAIO Action Setup, right-click the Jog Dial Utility icon or in the
taskbar and click Help Topics.