Sony VAIO PCG-FXA50 Series, Quick Start Manual

Page 1: ...VAIO Notebook Quick Start PCG FXA50 Series ...

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Page 3: ...0 Setting Up Your VAIO Notebook 13 Locating Controls and Connectors 14 Connecting a Power Source 19 Starting Your Notebook 25 Shutting Down Your Notebook 26 Using Power Saving Modes 27 Software and Support Information 29 Software Overview 30 Software Support Information 31 Using the Recovery CDs 35 Application Driver and System Recovery CDs 36 Using Your Recovery CDs 37 ...

Page 4: ...VAIO Computer Quick Start 4 Troubleshooting 43 Troubleshooting Your Notebook 44 Troubleshooting the LCD Screen 47 Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad 47 Getting Help 49 Support Options 49 Index 51 ...

Page 5: ...timedia features Enjoy the stereo speakers or use headphones not supplied to listen to audio and video CDs Microsoft Windows operating system Your system includes the latest Microsoft Windows operating system Communications Access popular online services send e mail browse the Internet and use fax features For a complete description of the specifications of your VAIO notebook refer to the Specific...

Page 6: ... the features of both a CD RW drive and DVD ROM drive providing increased storage capacity and a rich multimedia computing experience Optical drives play DVD ROM CD ROM CD RW and CD R discs The CD RW DVD Combo Drive is available on selected models only Your notebook s optical disc drive and other parts may differ depending on the model you purchased ...

Page 7: ...k the features of your notebook the applications included with your system and how to solve common problems Microsoft Windows manual Explains how to use the basic features of the Windows operating system VAIO Notebook Safety Information Explains notes on use and offers safety tips VAIO Notebook Specifications flyer Details the hardware specifications for your notebook Main unit Power cord AC adapt...

Page 8: ...les you to reinstall individual applications if they become corrupted or are erased Driver Recovery CD s Enables you to reinstall individual device drivers if they become corrupted or are erased System Recovery CD s Enables you to restore the operating system and software that shipped with your computer to its original factory settings if they become corrupted or are erased Other Packet containing...

Page 9: ...r To open this file click Start on the Windows taskbar select Help and Support and click VAIO User Guide About Adding Memory Depending on the configuration you purchased your computer may accept additional memory modules For information about installation procedures refer to the online User Guide and print those relevant steps The supplied Specifications flyer lists the amount of memory installed ...

Page 10: ...f connecting to the Internet and choosing an Internet Service Provider ISP or setting up an existing account Setting up your Internet connection 1 Click Start point to All Programs Accessories Communications and click New Connection Wizard The Location Information screen appears 2 Follow the onscreen instructions and click OK The Phone and Modem Options screen appears Location Information screen ...

Page 11: ...Your Dial Up Connection 11 3 Select the location from where you are dialing and 4 click OK The New Connection Wizard appears 5 Follow the onscreen instructions Phone and Modem Options screen New Connection Wizard ...

Page 12: ...VAIO Computer Quick Start 12 ...

Page 13: ...ith some essential information to familiarize you with your VAIO computer and assist you with some of its fundamental functions Locating Controls and Connectors Connecting a Power Source Starting Your Notebook Shutting Down Your Notebook Using Power Saving Modes ...

Page 14: ...onnectors Front 1 LCD Liquid Crystal Display screen 7 Battery 1 and 2 indicators 2 Speakers 8 Hard disk drive indicator 3 Keyboard 9 Num Lock indicator 4 Touchpad 10 Caps Lock indicator 5 Left and right buttons 11 Scroll Lock indicator 6 Power indicator ...

Page 15: ...mpatible i LINK devices All products with an i LINK connection may not communicate with each other Refer to the documentation that came with your compati ble i LINK device for information on operating conditions and proper connection Before connecting compatible i LINK PC peripherals to your system such as a CD RW or hard disk drive confirm their operating system compatibility and required operati...

Page 16: ...VAIO Computer Quick Start 16 Right 1 Power button 2 Optical drive CD RW DVD Combo Drive or DVD ROM drive The type of optical drive differs depending on the model you purchased 3 Multipurpose bay ...

Page 17: ... any other type of network cable or any telephone line 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 the network contact your network administrator There is a ventilation slot located between the Ethernet port and the USB port Do not cover the ventilation slot when y...

Page 18: ...VAIO Computer Quick Start 18 Bottom 1 Multipurpose bay release lever 2 Port replicator cover 3 Tilt stands 2 1 3 ...

Page 19: ...her power consuming equipment such as a copy machine or shredder You can purchase a power strip with a surge protector This device prevents damage to your notebook caused by sudden power surges such as those that may occur during an electrical storm Do not place heavy objects on the power cord To disconnect the cord pull it out by the plug Never pull the cord itself Unplug your notebook from the w...

Page 20: ...otebook See Using a Second Battery Pack in your online User Guide for more information The battery pack that comes with your notebook is not fully charged at the time of purchase Follow the steps below to insert and charge the battery pack To insert the battery pack 1 Locate the battery bay on the left side of the notebook and push the cover down to open it 2 Insert the battery pack into the batte...

Page 21: ...percent full the battery indicator turns off This process takes several hours It takes longer to recharge the battery when the notebook is turned on than when it is turned off Inserting battery pack If the port replicator is attached to your notebook do not attempt to insert or remove the battery pack Lifting and turning the notebook with a port replicator attached could cause a temporary loss of ...

Page 22: ...Indicates the status of the battery pack in the battery bay on the left side of the notebook 2 Indicates the status of the battery pack in the multipurpose bay on the right side of the notebook Battery Indicator Light Status Description On The notebook is using battery power Single blink The battery is running out of power Double blink The battery is charging Off The notebook is using AC power Bat...

Page 23: ...nues to charge while you are using the notebook If the battery level falls below 10 percent you should either attach the AC adapter to recharge the battery or shut down your notebook and insert a fully charged battery The battery pack supplied with your notebook is a lithium ion battery and can be recharged at any time Charging a partially discharged battery does not affect battery life The batter...

Page 24: ...mperatures between 50 F and 80 F 10 C to 30 C Lower temperatures require a longer charging time While the battery is in use or being discharged the battery pack heats up This is normal and is not cause for concern Keep the battery pack away from all sources of heat Keep the battery pack dry Do not open or try to disassemble the battery pack Do not expose the battery pack to any mechanical shock If...

Page 25: ...ower indicator turns on 3 If necessary adjust the brightness controls for the LCD display as follows To decrease brightness press the key combination Fn Shift F5 To increase brightness press the key combination Fn F5 Opening the notebook Power button If you hold the power button in the On position for more than four seconds the notebook turns off LCD lock lever Power button Power indicator ...

Page 26: ...pplications Remove the PC Cards Disconnect all USB devices 2 Restart the notebook by pressing the Ctrl Alt Delete keys simultaneously When the Windows Task Manager dialog box appears click Shut Down and then Turn Off from the drop down menu To avoid potential loss of data follow these steps to shut down your notebook Respond to any prompts warning you to save documents During a period of inactivit...

Page 27: ...ode To save power you can turn off a specific device such as the LCD or the hard disk drive Standby Mode In Standby Mode the notebook saves the current state of the system in RAM and switches off power to the CPU The amber power indicator flashes in this mode To activate Standby mode To activate Standby mode press the key combination Fn Esc To return to normal mode Press any key to return to norma...

Page 28: ...tebook returns to its previous state Standby uses more power than Hibernate Standby requires less time than Hibernate to return to normal mode When returning from Hibernate mode the system status stored on the hard disk drive is erased and the notebook starts normally if you press the power button and hold it for more than four seconds ...

Page 29: ...ware and Support Information Your VAIO computer is ready to help you work play learn and communicate as soon as you turn it on This section provides the following Software Overview Software Support Information ...

Page 30: ...onal Microsoft Corp Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition Microsoft Corp MovieShaker Sony Electronics Inc PC Cillin 2000 Trend Micro Inc PicoPlayer Sony Electronics Inc PictureGear Sony Electronics Inc Quicken New User Edition Intuit Inc QuickTime Apple Computer Inc RealJukebox RealNetworks Inc RealPlayer RealNetworks Inc Sony on Yahoo Yahoo Inc Sony ScreenBlast ACID Sony Pictures Digital Ent...

Page 31: ...il techdocs adobe com phone 206 675 6126 fee based support fax 206 628 5737 hours M F 6 AM 5 PM PST Web site http www aol com phone 800 827 6364 hours 7 days a week 24 hours a day Web site http www apple com phone 800 275 2273 hours M F 6 AM 6 PM PST Web site http www arcsoft com e mail support arcsoft com phone 510 440 9901 fax 510 440 1270 hours M F 8 30 AM 5 30 PM PST Web site http support eart...

Page 32: ...ree of charge but subject to delays Support from 900 820 8324 is fee based but offers immediate response hours M F 8 AM 5 PM PST Web site http www intuit com support phone 900 555 4932 800 644 3193 Support from 900 555 4932 is fee based Support from 800 644 3193 is automated and free of charge hours M F 5 AM 5 PM PST Web site http service real com rjoptions html e mail http service real com help c...

Page 33: ...888 476 6972 or find Sony Customer Service on the Web at http www sony com pcsupport Web site http www sony com pcsupport phone 888 4SONYPC 888 476 6972 Support from 1 888 4 SONY PC is free of charge for 90 days after the original date of purchase hours 7 days a week 24 hours a day Web site http www intervideo com phone 510 651 0888 Web site http www corel com phone 613 274 0500 hours M F 8 30 A M...

Page 34: ...VAIO Computer Quick Start 34 ...

Page 35: ...35 Using the Recovery CDs This section provides you with details on your Sony application driver and system recovery CDs Application Driver and System Recovery CDs Using Your Recovery CDs ...

Page 36: ...lications if they become corrupted or are erased Driver Recovery CD s Sony Electronics Inc This CD enables you to reinstall individual device drivers if they become corrupted or are erased System Recovery CD s Sony Electronics Inc This CD enables you to restore the operating system and software that shipped with your computer if they become corrupted or are erased This CD restores your computer to...

Page 37: ...ry CD after reading this section contact Sony Customer Support 1 Turn on your computer If your computer is already on close all applications 2 When the Windows desktop appears insert the Sony Application Recovery CD in the optical drive The Application Recovery utility loads automatically 3 When the Application Recovery menu appears select the icon for the application you want to restore and then ...

Page 38: ...ific drivers with the Driver Recovery CD 1 Turn on your computer If your computer is already on close all applications 2 When the Windows desktop appears insert the Driver Recovery CD into the optical disc drive 3 Click Start on the Windows taskbar and click Control Panel The Control Panel window appears 4 Click Performance and Maintenance then System The System Properties dialog box appears 5 Fro...

Page 39: ...ware Update Wizard appears 9 Click next The wizard searches for the correct driver on your Driver Recovery CD 10 When the recovery process is complete click Finish Some drivers require that you restart the computer to complete installation Properties dialog box ...

Page 40: ...ive It can be used only to recover the hard disk of the computer you purchased System Recovery options System Drive Recovery All data on Drive C is deleted The factory default settings and software applications are restored on this drive only Change Partition Size All partitions custom installations and changes are removed from the hard disk drive You can set the partition sizes for both the Drive...

Page 41: ...and hold it for more than four seconds to turn off the computer 2 Turn on the computer When the Sony logo is displayed press the F2 key The BIOS setup menu screen appears 3 Press the arrow keys to select the Exit menu 4 Press the arrow keys to select Get Default Values and then press the Enter key The message Load default values for all SETUP items appears 5 Check that Yes is selected and press th...

Page 42: ...After recovering your system using the System Recovery CD s you may be prompted to insert your Application Recovery CD s after restarting Windows Insert the Application Recovery CD to automatically complete recovery of your system ...

Page 43: ...you may encounter when using your notebook Many problems have simple solutions so try these suggestions before you contact Sony Computing Support http www sony com pcsupport Troubleshooting Your Notebook Troubleshooting the LCD Screen Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad ...

Page 44: ... source and turned on Check that the brightness and contrast controls are adjusted correctly See the manual that came with the display for details Condensation may cause the notebook to malfunction If this occurs do not use it for at least one hour Take the battery pack out of the notebook unplug the power cord plug it in again and turn on the power My notebook starts but a BIOS error appears When...

Page 45: ... Turn off the notebook 2 Remove any peripheral devices connected to the notebook 3 Turn the notebook on again 4 Press the F2 key when the Sony logo appears The BIOS setup menu window appears 5 Use the arrow keys to select the Exit menu 6 Press the arrow keys to select Get Default Values then press the Enter key The message Load default values for all SETUP items appears 7 Select Yes and press the ...

Page 46: ...eding step does not work press and hold the power button for at least four seconds to turn off the power If your notebook stops responding while playing a CD or DVD stop the CD DVD and restart the notebook To restart the notebook press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys simultaneously When the Window Task Manager dialog box appears click Shut Down and then Turn Off from the drop down menu Unplug the noteboo...

Page 47: ... indicator on the notebook is on Check that the battery pack is inserted properly and is charged The notebook may be in LCD Video Standby mode Press any key to activate the screen The display mode may be set to external display mode Press and hold the Fn key while pressing the F7 key several times Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad My mouse does not work If you are using an external mouse chec...

Page 48: ... CD to reinstall the mouse drivers The pointer does not move while using the Touchpad or Mouse Press the Windows key and use the arrow keys to select Turn Off Computer When the Turn off computer dialog box appears use the arrow keys to select Turn Off and press the Enter key If you cannot turn off your computer press the Ctrl Alt Delete keys simultaneously When the Windows Task Manager appears cli...

Page 49: ...r Quick Start provide you with information on how to maximize your notebook capabilities and solve common problems 2 Software Manuals and Online Help Files The software preinstalled on your notebook may come with an online manual These manuals are stored on the hard disk drive as online Help files You can find the Help files from the Help menu under the specific software application Some software ...

Page 50: ...orresponding solutions online You can access Sony Computing Support at http www sony com pcsupport 6 Sony Fax on Demand This service which requires a fax machine or your fax software provides answers to commonly asked questions You can use this automated service to request a list of available topics and select the topics that you want to receive To contact the Sony fax on demand service call 1 888...

Page 51: ...indicator light 22 charging battery packs 21 choosing power source 20 computer features 5 online support 49 starting 25 troubleshooting 44 unpacking 7 connecting power source 19 controls locating 14 D DC In 19 dial up connection 10 Driver Recovery CD 38 F features 5 G getting help 29 49 H help 29 49 Hibernate mode 27 I indicator lights battery 22 charge status 22 inserting battery pack 20 J jacks ...

Page 52: ...g data 37 S second battery pack 20 selecting power source 20 software support information 31 Sony Fax on Demand 50 Sony Service Center 33 Standby mode 27 starting computer 25 startup problems 26 support software 31 support Sony 49 support technical 29 System Recovery CD 40 T technical support 29 49 touchpad troubleshooting 47 troubleshooting 43 44 LCD 47 mouse and touchpad 47 startup 26 Turn Off C...

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Page 56: ...is prohibited All rights reserved Sony VAIO the VAIO logo VAIO Smart DVgate Handycam Media Bar MovieShaker PictureGear and i LINK are trademarks of Sony All other trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners Printed in USA 4 664 754 11 http www sony com vaio ...