Sony PCG-R505JLC Primary User manual

1
Welcome.......................................................7
Using Your VAIO Notebook........................9
Using the Keyboard...................................................10
Functions of the keyboard keys .........................................11
Indicators ...........................................................................12
Indicator lights...................................................................13
Combinations and functions with the Windows key .........13
Combinations and functions with the Fn key ....................15
Using the Touchpad ..................................................17
VAIO Action Setup...................................................19
Using the Center Jog Dial Control............................20
Using the center Jog Dial control ......................................20
Launcher mode ..................................................................21
Guide Mode .......................................................................22
Using the center Jog Dial control with Sony software ......22
Using the center Jog Dial control with other software ......23
Using a PC Card........................................................24
To insert a PC Card............................................................24
To remove a PC Card.........................................................25
Using Memory Stick Media......................................28
Types of Memory Stick media...........................................28
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 Phone Line ..........................................35

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Connecting to a LAN................................................36
To set up your Ethernet connection .................................. 36
Connecting Peripheral Devices ...............37
Connecting the Docking Station...............................38
Connecting the notebook to the docking station............... 40
Disconnecting the notebook from the docking station...... 42
Using the Floppy Disk Drive....................................46
Using an Optical Disc Drive.....................................48
Notes on CD and DVD discs ............................................ 52
Connecting a Parallel Port Printer ............................53
To a parallel port printer ................................................... 53
Connecting a USB Printer.........................................54
Connecting an External Display ...............................55
To connect a monitor ........................................................ 55
To connect a projector....................................................... 57
Connecting a USB Device........................................60
To connect a USB device.................................................. 60
Connecting an i.LINK Device ..................................62
Connecting VAIO Computers ..................................64
If your notebook is connected to the docking station ....... 65
Connecting External Speakers..................................67
Connecting an External Microphone........................68
Expanding Your Notebook Capabilities...................69
Personal Digital Assistant................................................. 69
Wireless LAN Access Point.............................................. 69
Wireless LAN PC Card..................................................... 70

3
Customizing Your VAIO Notebook..........71
Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen ...........72
Sony Notebook Setup tabs.................................................73
Controlling Power Management ...............................74
Viewing the Power Management status icons...................74
Activating the Power Management toolbar .......................74
Power Management profiles ..............................................75
Power Management commands.........................................78
Conserving battery power..................................................78
Displaying Battery Information ................................79
To activate the battery information toolbar .......................79
Battery icon descriptions ...................................................79
Displaying detailed battery information ............................80
Selecting the Display Mode ......................................82
To select the display mode.................................................82
To change the window design of Sony software...............84
Adding Memory .........................................85
Precautions and Procedures.......................................85
Typical expansion memory configuration.........................86
Removing a Memory Module ...................................87
Installing a Memory Module.....................................88
Viewing the Amount of Memory..............................92
About the Software on Your Notebook...93
Overview of the Software on Your Notebook ..........93
Application, Driver, and System Recovery CDs.......99

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Using Your Recovery CDs .....................................100
To use the Application Recovery CD(s)......................... 100
To use the Driver Recovery CD(s) ................................. 101
To use the System Recovery CD(s)................................ 104
Recovering Microsoft Word ........................................... 105
Troubleshooting......................................107
Troubleshooting Your Notebook............................108
My notebook does not start............................................. 108
My notebook starts but a BIOS error appears................. 108
My notebook starts, but the message “Operating system not
found” appears and Windows does not start................... 109
My notebook stops responding or does not turn off. ...... 110
My notebook is unstable................................................. 111
The sound of my notebook’s fan is too loud................... 111
Why does the System Properties dialog box display a slower
CPU speed than advertised?............................................ 111
Troubleshooting the Docking Station.....................112
I cannot operate the optical drive in the docking station,
when the docking station is connected to the notebook.. 112
I cannot operate the optical drive in the docking station,
when the docking station is connected to the notebook and
thenotebook isconnectedtoanothercomputer viaan i.LINK
connection....................................................................... 112
An error message appears while disconnecting the docking
station, even after following the correct procedure for dis-
connecting the docking station........................................ 112
I cannot remove the disc. ................................................ 113
The disc tray does not eject even after I press the Eject but-
ton.................................................................................... 113

5
Troubleshooting the LCD Screen............................114
My LCD screen is blank..................................................114
My LCD screen continues to show the previous screen..114
The image on my connected external display is not centered
or sized properly. .............................................................114
I want to change the video resolution of my display.......114
Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad.............115
My mouse does not work.................................................115
My touchpad does not work properly..............................115
The pointer does not move (while using the Touchpad or
Mouse). ............................................................................116
Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards, and Peripheral De-
vices.........................................................................117
My floppy disk drive cannot write to a floppy disk.........117
My optical drive is not playing my CD or DVD properly.....
117
My optical drive tray does not open. ...............................117
I cannot use Digital Video (DV) devices. The message “DV
equipment seems to be disconnected or turned off” appears.
118
My PC Card does not work..............................................118
Troubleshooting the Software.................................119
My software program stops responding or crashes. ........119
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. ..............................................119
The application cannot find a file while a PC Card is insert-
ed......................................................................................119
My computer’s start-up time seems longer after I have in-
stalled AOL. What can I do? ...........................................119
Troubleshooting i.LINK Devices ....................................120
I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO comput-

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ers when using an i.LINK cable...................................... 120
Troubleshooting the Modem........................................... 120
My modem does not work. ............................................. 120
My modem connection is slow. ...................................... 121
Troubleshooting Audio................................................... 121
My speakers have no sound. ........................................... 121
My microphone does not work. ...................................... 122
Troubleshooting the Printer ............................................ 122
I cannot print................................................................... 122
Troubleshooting i.LINK devices ............................124
I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO comput-
ers when using an i.LINK cable...................................... 124
Getting Help.............................................125
Support Options......................................................125
Software Support Information ................................127
Index.........................................................131

7
Welcome
Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony VAIO® notebook, and
welcome to the VAIO 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 the main window.

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9
Using Your VAIO Notebook
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 Phone Line
❑Connecting to a 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.
Keyboard
Function Keys
Print Screen Key
Shift
Fn Key
Windows®Key
Alt Key Applications Key
Numeric Keypad Area Navigation Keys
Correction Keys
Fn
Key
Backspa
c
Key
Ctrl Key
Key

Using Your VAIO Notebook
11
Functions of the keyboard keys
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 that 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 are devoted to 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 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 $.

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Indicators
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.
Indicator Function
Power Light is green when the notebook is powered on, flashes amber
when the notebook is in Standby mode, and turns off when the
notebook is in Hibernate mode or is powered off.
Battery Indicates the status of the battery, which is attached at the rear
of the notebook.
Memory Stick Indicates the Memory Stick® slot is in use.
Docking Station Indicates the docking station is in use.
Key Description

Using Your VAIO Notebook
13
Indicator lights
Combinations and functions with the Windows key
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 notebook when
this indicator light is on.
The hard drive is not being
accessed.
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 VAIO Help and Support Center.
+ 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.

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+ 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.
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 Function

Using Your VAIO Notebook
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Combinations and functions with the Fn key
✍If you switch user accounts during a computing session, the Fn+F7 and Fn+F8 key
functionality (if available on your computer) will be interrupted. To switch to an
external display or monitor, see “Selecting the Display Mode” for more information.
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.
Only LCD LCD and external display
Only external display

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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.
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

Using the Touchpad
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Using the Touchpad
The keyboard contains a cursor-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.
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.)
Right Button
Left Button
Touchpad
Pointer

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See Mouse Properties for information on touchpad features, such as clicking both
buttons simultaneously, adjusting touchpad speed, and Easy Launcher functions.
To access Mouse Properties, click Start, select Control Panel, then select Printers
and other Hardware, and click the Mouse icon.

VAIO Action Setup
19
VAIO Action Setup
VAIO Action Setup manages the settings for your notebook’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.

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Using the Center Jog Dial Control
Your notebook is equipped with a center Jog Dial™ control located below the
touchpad and between the left and right buttons. The center Jog Dial control
enables you to open an application, folder, or document from a predefined list by
rotating and pressing the center Jog Dial control. In addition, when you press the
center Jog Dial control, you can turn on your notebook automatically and start
the selected application or document.
The Jog Dial control window always appears in the display. It is either in the
launcher mode or in the guide mode.
Using the center Jog Dial control
This section explains how to use the center Jog Dial control. For information on
how to change the settings of the center Jog Dial control, right-click the Jog Dial
utility icon or in the task tray and click Help Topics.
Center Jog Dial Control
Center Jog Dial Control
Turn
Press