Sony VAIO VGN-A600 Series 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 Computing 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 select Welcome to VAIO life.
Page 1

Ergonomics and Caring for Your Computer
This section provides information on how to safely use your Sony computer.
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 and Maintaining 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.
Your computer is equipped with a cooling fan and heat sink that help your computer maintain a safe operating
temperature. These areas must be kept clean and free from debris, such as dust, dirt, pet hair, or other particles
that can restrict the flow of air. If dust is allowed to accumulate in the cooling fan and heat sink area, your computer
may overheat and stop operating properly.
Avoid using your computer in locations that are subject to excessive dust or dirt, such as the floor or on the
ground.
Avoid using your computer on or near surfaces that may have dust or shedding fibers, such as rugs,
blankets, curtains, or draperies.
Avoid using your computer in areas where pets are kept, or pet hair accumulates.
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

Locating Controls and Ports
Congratulations on your purchase of the Sony®VAIO®computer. Sony has combined leading-edge technology in audio,
video, computing, and communications to provide state-of-the-art personal computing.
Front
1LCD screen 10 Memory Stick®media indicator
2Mute button 11 Wireless switch1
3Volume buttons 12 Bluetooth®indicator1
4Brightness button 13 Wireless indicator1
5Magnify screen button 14 Power indicator
6S1 button 15 Battery indicator
7Keyboard 16 Hard disk drive indicator
8Touch pad 17 Optical drive indicator
9Memory Stick®media slot2
1Wireless LA N and Bluetooth functionality available on selected models only.
2Y our computer supports M emory Stick Duo media and Memory Stick P RO high s peed and high c apacity capabilities.
Do not insert more than one Memory Stick media into the Memory Stick media slot as it may damage the
computer.
Insert the Memory Stick media with the arrow facing up and toward the slot. Inserting the media improperly may
damage the computer.
Front
Page 8

1Speakers 5Brightness sensor
2Num lock indicator 6Power button
3Caps lock indicator 7Left and right buttons
4Scroll lock indicator
Back
1DC In port 4 AV Out jack
2 USB 2.0 ports15 Monitor (VGA) port
3 Network (Ethernet) port 6 Air vent
1Supports high-/full-/low- speeds.
Only connect 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-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.
Left
Page 9

1Microphone jack 4USB 2.0 port1
2Headphone jack 5PC Card slot
3i.LINK®(IEEE 1394) S400 port 6PC Card eject button
1Supports high-/full-/low- speeds.
Right
Page 10

1Drive eject button 4Drive eject button
2 Optical drive 5Modem jack
3 Manual eject hole
You can use either drive eject button to eject the optical drive tray. The drive eject button located next to the optical
drive functions only with Microsoft®Windows®operating system.
Bottom
1Port replicator connector 4RELEASE switch
2Air vents 5Battery bay
3LOCK/UNLOCK switch 6CONNECT button1
1O n s elected models with wireless mous e func tionality.
Page 11

See Connecting a Wireless Mouse for more information about using the wireless optical mouse.
The printer port on this port replicator is intended for printer connections only.
A/V Port Replicator
1Composite Audio In jacks 10 Speaker jacks (right and left)
2Composite Video In jack 11 Optical Out port
Output frequency (96 kHz1/48 kHz/44 kHz/Variable)
3S Video In port 12 Network (Ethernet) port (10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX / 1000BASE-TX)
4Air vent 13 Composite Audio Out jacks
5VHF/UHF port 14 Composite Video Out jack
6USB 2.0 ports215 S Video Out port
7Monitor (VGA) port 16 Printer port
8Volume jack 17 USB 2.0 ports2
9DVI-D port 18 DC IN port
1O utput frequency is 4 8 kH z for all s ource sample rates exc ept 3 2 kH z and 4 4.1 kHz.
2Supports high-/full-/low- speeds.
The printer port on this port replicator is intended for printer connections only.
Business Port Replicator
1Composite Audio In jacks 8Composite Audio Out jacks Page 12

2Air vent 9Composite Video Out jack
3USB 2.0 ports110 S Video Out port
4Monitor (VGA) port 11 Printer port
5DVI-D port 12 USB 2.0 ports1
6Optical Out port
Output frequency (96 kHz2/48 kHz/44 kHz/Variable) 13 DC IN port
7Network (Ethernet) port (10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX / 1000BASE-TX)
1Supports high-/full-/low- speeds.
2O utput frequency is 4 8 kH z for all s ource sample rates exc ept 3 2 kH z and 4 4.1 kHz.
Page 13

About the Indicator Lights
Indicator Function
Power
Turns on when the power to the computer is on, blinks in Standby mode, and turns off when the computer is
in Hibernate mode or off.
Battery
Turns on when the computer is using battery power, blinks when the battery is running out of power,
double-blinks when the battery is charging.
Memory Stick®
Turns on when data is read from or written to the Memory Stick media. (Do not enter Standby mode or turn off
the computer when this indicator is on.) When the indicator is off, the Memory Stick media is not being used.
Hard Disk
Turns on when data is read from or written to the hard disk. Do not enter Standby mode or turn off the
computer when this indicator is on.
Num Lock
Press this key to activate the numeric keypad. Press it a second time to deactivate the numeric keypad. The
numeric keypad is not active when the indicator is off.
Caps Lock
Press this key to type letters in uppercase. Letters appear in lowercase if you press Shift while the indicator is
on. Press the key a second time to turn off the indicator. Normal typing resumes when the Caps Lock indicator is off.
Scroll Lock
Press this key to change how you scroll the display. Normal scrolling resumes when the Scroll Lock indicator is
off. The Scroll Lock key functions differently depending on the program you are using and does not work with all programs.
Bluetooth®1Turns on when the wireless switch is set to ON and Bluetooth technology is enabled.
Wireless
LAN1Turns on when the wireless LAN function is running.
1O n s elected models only.
See Internet and Network Connections for more information about Bluetooth and wireless technology.
Page 14

Using Special Buttons
Your VAIO®computer is equipped with a variety of audio- and video-oriented function buttons: Volume, Brightness, Magnify
screen, and S1.
Page 15

About the special buttons
The following information shows where the special buttons are located, and briefly describes their functionality.
Special Buttons
Number Type of Button
1 Mute. The Mute button enables and disables the audio output when using headphones or the internal speakers.
This button does not enable and disable the audio output for Optical Out, Line Out, or AV Out connections. The Mute button
illuminates when the audio output is disabled.
2 Volume. The Volume buttons control the audio output on your computer.
3 Brightness. The Brightness button, located between the Magnify screen and Volume buttons, toggles brightness
levels for the computer's LCD screen. There are three brightness settings: Auto, Brightness, and Max. The brightness
button illuminates when the brightness level is set to Brightness or Max.
4 Magnify screen. The Magnify screen button, located next to the computer's brightness button, works as a screen
resolution toggle button. By pressing it, you can alternate between different screen resolutions.
5 S1. The S1 button is a pre-programmable button that enables you to enter a power saving mode, switch between
displays, or launch an application.
Page 16

Using the S1 button
As a shortcut, you can assign a pre-programmable S1 button to enter a power saving mode, switch between displays, or
launch an application.
To assign a function to a programmable button
1. Click Start, and point to All Programs and then VAIO Control Center. The VAIO Control Center window
appears.
2. Click the List tab, and double-click S Button. The S Button window appears.
3. Click to select a key assignment from the S1 drop-down menu.
4. Click OK.
5. Depending on the key assignment, you may be able to customize the S1 button further by clicking Advanced.
From the S Button window, you can click Help to bring up the Help for S Button help file.
Page 17

Additional information about adjusting the brightness of the LCD screen
Your computer comes with a brightness sensor that automatically increases and decreases the LCD screen's brightness
level depending on the amount of external light. The automatic sensor is engaged the first time you turn on your computer.
To override the automatic setting and manually adjust the brightness, follow these steps:
Press the Brightness button, located next to the Volume buttons, and select one of the three brightness settings
(Auto, Brightness, and Max).
Press the Fn and F6 keys to increase brightness.
Press the Fn and F5 keys to decrease brightness.
Page 18

Mice and Keyboards
Using the Keyboard
Although your computer's keyboard is very similar to a typewriter's keyboard, you can use the additional keys on the
computer's keyboard to perform specific computer-related tasks.
Page 19

Mice and Keyboards
Using the Keyboard
Although your computer's keyboard is very similar to a typewriter's keyboard, you can use the additional keys on the
computer's keyboard to perform specific computer-related tasks.
Page 20