Sony VGN-T240P VAIO 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
1Computer screen (LCD) 8Sound effect indicator
2Keyboard 9Sound / Mute indicator
3Power button 10 Volume Up / Down buttons
4Touch pad 11 Sound Effects / Mute button
5Left and right buttons 12 Microphone jack
6Wireless LAN indicator and Bluetooth®indicator113 Headphone jack
7Wireless switch1
1Wireless LA N and Bluetooth capabilities are available on selected models only.
Front - Top v iew
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1Battery indicator 7DVD Start button
2Hard disk drive indicator 8Play / Pause button
3Memory Stick®media indicator 9Stop button
4Num lock indicator 10 Back button
5Caps lock indicator 11 Forward button
6Scroll lock indicator
Left
Page 9

1Monitor (VGA) port 5PC Card eject button
2USB 2.0 ports 6PC Card slot
3i.LINK®(IEEE 1394) S400 port 7Memory Stick®media slot
4Air vent
Right
1Optical drive 3Modem jack
2Optical drive indicator, Optical drive eject button, and manual eject hole 4Network (Ethernet) port
Page 10

Gently pull the protective tabs away from the computer to find the modem jack and network (Ethernet) port. Do not
remove the tabs.
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, see Network Connections or contact your network administrator.
Back
1DC In 2Battery connector
Bottom
1Air vent 3Battery release button
2Port replicator connector
Page 11

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.
Optical Drive
Turns on when data is read from or written to the optical drive. Do not enter Standby mode or turn off the
computer when this indicator is on.
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 12

Using Special Buttons
Your computer is equipped with several special buttons: DVD play buttons, a Sound Effects / Mute button, and Volume Up /
Down buttons. The DVD buttons are located at the top right of the computer and are designed to offer a quick and easy
user interface when playing DVDs. The sound efffects and volume buttons are located at the bottom right of the computer
and are designed to control a variety of audio functions.
Page 13

About the Special Buttons
The following information shows where the special buttons are located and briefly describes their functionality.
Page 14

Locating the special buttons
The DVD buttons are located just above the keyboard, toward the right side. The Sound Effects / Mute button and the
Volume Up / Down buttons are located on the front of the computer, along the right edge.
Locating the Special Buttons
1DVD Start button 5Forward / Next Track button
2Play / Pause button 6Sound Effects indicator
3Stop button 7Sound Effects / Mute button
4Back / Previous Track button 8Volume Up / Down buttons
To use the DVD buttons
Pressing the DVD button will launch the VAIO Zone software program.
You can also launch the DVD button control panel window (also available via VAIO Control Center) by pressing and holding
the DVD button for a few seconds. From there, you can edit the following settings:
LCD brightness level
Cinema mode
Full-screen mode
Audio modes
The remaining buttons (Play / Pause, Stop, Back / Previous Track, Forward / Next Track) can be used as regular media
player buttons.
For help, press the Help button on the DVD Button control panel window. The Help for DVD Button help file will launch.
The DVD button functionalities are not supported by all DVD-related software programs, including the SonicStage®
software program. Page 15

To use the Sound Effects / Mute button
To enable the sound effects, you must first install SonicStage Mastering Sudio Audio Filter. Follow these steps:
1. Click the Enhance Audio icon on the desktop. The SonicStage Mastering Studio Audio Filter dialog box appears.
2. Click Next to install the Audio Filter.
3. Follow any additional on-screen instructions.
Once the Audio Filter has been installed, you can add various audio effects to the audio output of a wide variety of
programs.
By briefly pressing the Sound Effects / Mute button, you can toggle between Mute and sound on.
By pressing and holding the Sound Effects / Mute button, the Sound Effect menu will appear. From the Sound Effect
menu, use the arrow keys to select the desired sound effect.
Sound Effect Menu
To open the SonicStage Mastering Studio Audio Filter, do the following:
1. Click Start, select All Programs, then select SonicStage Mastering Studio.
2. Click Audio Filter. The SonicStage Mastering Studio Audio Filter dialog box appears.
3. From the drop-down menu, select a desired sound effect or change any particular settings. For additional
information about SonicStage Mastering Studio Audio Filter, click the Help button.
4. Click Close.
To use the Volume buttons
The Volume Up / Down buttons regulate the volume level up or down accordingly.
Volume Up: When pressing the Volume Up button, the volume level will increase, and an on-screen dialog box will
display the volume level.
Volume Down: When pressing the Volume Down button, the volume level will decrease, and an on-screen dialog
box will display the volume level.
Page 16

Using the Touch Pad
Describing 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 17

Using the Touch Pad
Describing 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 18

Locating and using 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 19

Customizing the touch pad
Customizing your touch pad and mouse preferences may entail changing the pointers, enabling or disabling the tapping
feature, and adjusting the touch pad speed. The touch pad and mouse preferences are adjustable from the Mouse
Properties dialog box. You also have the option to disable the touch pad when you want to use an external mouse. If it is
disabled, the touch pad may easily be enabled again using a series of keyboard steps.
To customize the touch pad or mouse
Right-click the Touch Pad icon on the Taskbar Notification area, and click Mouse Properties from the shortcut
menu. The Mouse Properties dialog box appears.
Click Start on the Windows®taskbar, point to All Programs, and click VAIO Control Center. Select the List tab, and
double-click Mouse. The Mouse Properties dialog box appears.
To disable the touch pad
1. Click Start on the Windows®taskbar, and point to All Programs.
2. Click VAIO Control Center. The VAIO Control Center dialog box appears.
3. Select the List tab, and double-click Built-in Pointing Device. The Built-in Pointing Device dialog box appears.
4. Click to deselect the Enable checkbox, and click OK. A caution message may appear if an external mouse is not
connected to the computer.
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 Vuntil VAIO Control Center is selected, and press Enter. The VAIO Control Center dialog box appears.
4. Use the Tab and arrow keys to select the List tab.
5. Use the arrow keys to select Built-in Pointing Device, and press Enter.
6. Use the Tab key to select the Enable option, then press the +/= key, and press Enter.
Page 20