Sony PCG-FXA59 User Manual Page 1

Welcome Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony VAIO computer, and welcome to the VAIO User Guide.This User Guide provides detailed information

Using the Touchpad The keyboard contains a cursor-pointing device called a touchpad. You can point to, select, drag, and scroll objects on thescreen u

I cannot switch the LCD display to TV, and vice versa. Make sure that the TV is connected, configured, and powered on correctly before starting the n

Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad My mouse does not work. If you are using an external mouse, check that the mouse is plugged into the mouse con

Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad My mouse does not work. If you are using an external mouse, check that the mouse is plugged into the mouse con

My touchpad does not work properly. You must restart the notebook to make the touchpad work again. If your touchpad is interpreting a single tap as

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 "

Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards and Peripheral Devices My floppy disk drive cannot write to a floppy disk. Check that the floppy disk drive is prope

Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards and Peripheral Devices My floppy disk drive cannot write to a floppy disk. Check that the floppy disk drive is prope

My optical disc drive is not playing my CD or DVD properly. Check that the label of the disc is facing up. If the disc requires software, check that

My optical drive tray does not open. Check that the notebook is turned on. Press the Eject button on the optical drive. If the Eject button does no

I cannot use Digital Video (DV) devices. The message "DV equipment seems to be disconnected or turnedoff" appears. Check that the DV device

Using the Floppy Disk Drive Your computer comes with a floppy disk drive in the multipurpose bay. To insert a disk 1.Hold the disk with the label side

My PC Card is not working. Check that the PC Card is installed properly. Check that the PC Card is compatible with Microsoft® Windows®. Check that

Troubleshooting Software My software program stops responding or crashes. Contact the software publisher or designated provider for technical support.

Troubleshooting Software My software program stops responding or crashes. Contact the software publisher or designated provider for technical support.

When I click an application icon, the message "You must insert the application CD into your optical drive"appears and the software does not

I cannot use the DVgate software. Connect your notebook to AC power when using DVgate software. Page 114

Troubleshooting the Modem My modem does not work. Check that the phone line is plugged into the line jack. See Connecting a Phone Line for more infor

Troubleshooting the Modem My modem does not work. Check that the phone line is plugged into the line jack. See Connecting a Phone Line for more infor

My modem connection is slow. Your notebook is equipped with a V.90/K56flex-compatible modem. Many factors may influence modem connection speed,includi

Troubleshooting Audio My speakers make no sound. If the built-in speakers are turned off, press Fn+F3 to turn on the speakers. If the speaker volume

Troubleshooting Audio My speakers make no sound. If the built-in speakers are turned off, press Fn+F3 to turn on the speakers. If the speaker volume

3.Slide the drive out of the multipurpose bay. 4.Insert the weight saver. See Using the Weight Saver for details. To reinsert the floppy disk drive 1.

My microphone does not work. If you are using an external microphone, check that the microphone is plugged into the Microphone jack. See Connecting an

I cannot hear sound when playing a CD. Complete the following procedure to ensure the audio function is turned on. 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskb

Troubleshooting the Printer I cannot print. Your connected printer may not function after the notebook resumes from a power saving mode. If this occu

Troubleshooting the Printer I cannot print. Your connected printer may not function after the notebook resumes from a power saving mode. If this occu

Troubleshooting i.LINK devices I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO computers when using an i.LINK cable. 1.Disconnect the i.LINK® 1 cable

Troubleshooting i.LINK devices I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO computers when using an i.LINK cable. 1.Disconnect the i.LINK® 1 cable

Getting Help Sony provides you with several support resources to answer questions about your VAIO® notebook or the preinstalledsoftware. Refer to thes

Support Options If you have questions about your notebook or the preinstalled software, refer to the following sources for answers in thesequence list

Software Support Information Adobe Acrobat® Reader , Photoshop® Elements (Adobe Systems Inc.) Web site http://www.adobe.com/ phone 206-675-6126 (fe

Everquest (Verant Interactive Inc.) Web site http://www.everquest.com e-mail [email protected] phone 858-537-0898 hours M-F, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM (PT) P

Using the Optical Disc Drive Your notebook comes with an optical disc drive. Depending on the system you purchased, your optical disc drive is either

Windows® Operating System, Word (Microsoft Corporation) Web site http://www.sony.com/pcsupport/ phone 888-4-SONY-PC (888-476-6972)1 hours 7 days a w

Sony Service Center For the Sony Service Center nearest you, call 1-888-4-SONY-PC (1-888-476-6972) or find Sony Customer Service on theWeb at http://w

To insert a disc 1.Turn on the notebook. Note: When the notebook is in Standby or Hibernate mode, you cannot insert a disc. See Using Power Saving

To eject a disc When you finish using a disc, wait until the LED indicator turns off, and then press the Eject button to remove the disc. When the not

To play a DVD To play a DVD, you may use the optical disc drive and the preinstalled WinDVD® application. For more information onWinDVD, see the Help

Notes on CD and DVD discs Do not drop or bend the disc. Do not touch the surface of the disc. Fingerprints and dust on the surface of a disc may cau

To write data to a CD-RW or CD-R disc1 You can use Sony SonicStage and Microsoft® Windows® XP to write data to a CD-R or CD-RW disc. To create a CD-R

Using PC Cards Your notebook includes two PC Card slots. PC Cards enable you to connect portable external devices, such as another harddisk drive, or

Using Your VAIO Notebook This section describes the following aspects of your new computer: Using the Keyboard Using the Touchpad Using the Floppy

To insert a PC Card 1.Push the Release button once. The Release button pops out. PC Card release button 2.Push the Release button a second time. The

To remove a PC Card The following procedure describes how to remove the PC Card while the notebook is on. If you want to remove the PC Cardwhile the n

Using a Second Battery Pack You can purchase a second rechargeable battery pack. With two battery packs, you can extend the time that you use yournote

To insert a second battery pack 1.If another device is in the multipurpose bay, remove that device. 2.Insert the battery pack into the multipurpose ba

To charge the second battery pack Using weight saver for second battery cover Keep the battery pack in the notebook while it is connected to AC powe

To view remaining battery power To view remaining battery power, perform the following steps. 1.Click Start in the Windows taskbar, Control Panel, Per

To remove the second battery pack If you attach two battery packs, you can remove either of them without shutting down the notebook. When removing one

Using the Weight Saver The weight saver protects the multipurpose bay when it is empty and secures the secondary battery when it is installed inthe mu

To attach the weight saver 1.If another device, such as a battery pack, is in the multipurpose bay, remove that device. See To remove thesecond batter

To remove the weight saver 1.To remove the weight saver, first slide the multipurpose bay Release lever in the direction of the arrow. Multipurpose

Using the Keyboard Your notebook keyboard is very similar to that of a typewriter, but the keyboard has additional keys that perform specificcomputer-

Using Power Saving Modes When you use a battery as the source of power for your notebook, you can take advantage of power management settingsto conser

Normal mode Normal mode is the normal state of your notebook when it is in use. The power indicator displays green when yournotebook is in this mode.

Standby mode In Standby Mode the notebook saves the current state of the system in RAM and switches off power to the CPU. The amberpower indicator fla

Hibernate mode In the Hibernate mode, the state of the system is saved on the hard disk drive and power is turned off. The power indicatoris off in th

Connecting a Phone Line You need to connect a phone line to take advantage of online services and the Internet. Note: In order to register your Son

Connecting to a LAN You can connect your notebook to 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX-type Local Area Networks (LANs). For the detailed settingsand devices nee

Setting up your Ethernet connection To connect to the network 1.Click Start, select My Computer, and then click My Network Places under the "Othe

Connecting Peripheral Devices You can add functionality to your notebook by connecting a variety of peripherals, as discussed in the following section

Connecting a Port Replicator Your notebook supports the use of a port replicator such as the Sony PCGA-PRFX1 model (optional). Attaching a portreplica

To attach your notebook to the port replicator To supply power to your notebook while it is connected to the port replicator, connect the AC adapter d

The Applications key displays a shortcut menu of context-sensitive choices. Pressing this key is theequivalent of clicking the right mouse button. Pag

Note: Use the AC adapter that comes with your notebook or the optional Sony adapter. Power indicator 7.Turn on the notebook. Page 40

To remove your notebook from the port replicator 1.Turn off your notebook and the connected peripherals. 2.Pull the levers on each side of the port re

Connecting a PS/2 External Mouse or Keyboard You can connect an external mouse or keyboard to the optional port replicator using a similar type PS/2®

To connect an external mouse or keyboard Locate the mouse and keyboard port on the port replicator identified by the / symbols. Plug either the mo

Connecting an AV Device You can connect an audio-video (AV) device, such as a TV, to your notebook. Connecting a TV to the Notebook Note: See the

Connecting a Parallel Port Printer You can connect a Windows XP operating system-compatible printer to your notebook to print documents. Page 45

To connect a printer Locate the Printer port identified by the symbol. Plug the printer cable (supplied with the printer) into this port onthe noteb

Connecting a USB Printer You can connect a Windows XP operating system-compatible USB printer to either of your notebook's two USB ports to print

To connect a USB printer Plug the optional USB printer cable into either of the two USB ports on your notebook and the USB port on your printer. Con

Connecting an External Display You can connect an external display to your notebook. For example, you can use the notebook with any of the following:

Combinations and functions with the Windows key Combination Function + F1 Displays VAIO® Help and Support Center. + Tab Switches the selected butto

To connect a computer display 1.Locate the Monitor jack identified by the symbol on the back of the notebook. 2.Plug the display cable (optional) int

To connect a multimedia computer display You can connect your notebook to a multimedia computer display that includes built-in speakers and a micropho

To connect a projector You can use a projector, such as the Sony LCD Projector, as an external display. Connecting a projector Note: See the manu

To select a display When you connect an external display to the Monitor port, you can toggle the output between the Liquid Crystal Display(LCD), the e

Connecting a USB Device You can connect a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device such as an external mouse, keyboard, speaker, and microphone to yournotebo

To connect a USB device Note: The following steps describe the procedure for connecting a USB mouse to your notebook. Refer to the manual that came

Connecting an i.LINK Device You can connect an i.LINK enabled digital video camera recorder to the i.LINK®1 S400 (IEEE1394) port. Note: You can pur

To connect a digital video camera recorder Plug one end of the i.LINK cable (optional) into the i.LINK port on the left side of the notebook and the

Connecting with another VAIO computer You can use an optional i.LINK®1 cable to connect your VAIO notebook to another computer that has the preinstall

Connecting External Speakers You can enhance the sound quality of your notebook by connecting external speakers. See the manual that came with thespea

Indicators Indicator Function Power Light is green when the power to the notebook is turned on, flashes amber in Standby mode, and turns offwhen the

Before connecting external speakers Make sure that the speakers are designed for computer use. Turn down the volume of the speakers before you turn

To connect external speakers 1.Locate the Headphone jack identified by the symbol on the left side of the notebook. 2.Plug the speaker cable into thi

Connecting an External Microphone You can enhance the quality of sound input by using an external microphone. See the manual that came with themicroph

To connect an external microphone 1.Locate the Microphone jack identified by the symbol on the left side of the notebook. A protruding dot abovethe M

Expanding Your Notebook Capabilities The following peripheral devices can be connected to your notebook to expand its capabilities and enhance its ver

Personal Digital Assistant A handheld PDA is the quintessential personal planner and entertainment center that fits in your pocket. With a PDA, youcan

Wireless LAN Access Point The Wireless LAN Access Point is designed for building a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) environment. The Access Pointcome

Wireless LAN PC Card The Wireless LAN PC Card, which comes with the Wireless LAN Access Point, can be purchased separately and is designedfor building

Customizing Your VAIO Notebook The following sections briefly describe how to change your notebook's default settings. Selecting the Display Mod

Selecting the Display Mode This notebook uses the ATI video controller. You can select which display is used when the notebook is connected to anexter

Indicator lights Light On Off Num Lock The number keys in the numeric keypad are active. Thealphanumeric character keys in the keypad area are act

Changing the window design of Sony software To change the window design 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, then click Control Panel. 2.In the left

Adding Memory In the future you may want to install memory modules to expand the functionality of your notebook. The amount of memoryon your notebook

Precautions and Procedures The procedures described below assume that you are familiar with the general terminology associated with personalnotebooks

Typical expansion memory configuration To determine the exact amount of memory pre-installed on your computer, refer to the Specifications flyer suppl

Removing a Memory Module 1.Shut down your notebook and disconnect all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your notebook and remove the

Installing a Memory Module 1.Follow steps 1 to 4 of Removing a Memory Module for removing the preinstalled memory. 2.Remove the new memory module from

Viewing the Amount of Memory 1.Restart the notebook. 2.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, right-click My Computer, then click Properties. The System

About the Software on Your Notebook Your VAIO® notebook is ready to help you work, play, learn, and communicate as soon as you turn it on. This sectio

Software Overview Your computer may not be supplied with all of the software listed below, depending on the configuration you purchased.Preinstalled s

continually integrate additional services into Office and access information anytime. Microsoft® Office XP Small Business Edition (On selected models)

Combinations and functions with the Fn key Note: If you switch user identities during a computing session, the Fn+F7 and Fn+F8 key functionality (i

RealPlayer is the RealNetworks video and audio player which lets you access 2,500 radio stations featuring music, newsand sports. Sony on Yahoo! Yahoo

Application, Driver, and System Recovery CDs Your notebook comes with the following application and system recovery CDs. To use your recovery CDs, see

Using Your Recovery CDs The following sections describe how to use the Application Recovery, Driver Recovery, and System Recovery utilities. Page 82

To use the Application Recovery CD(s) The Application Recovery CD(s) allows you to reinstall individual applications if they become corrupted or are a

To use the Driver Recovery CD(s) The Driver Recovery CD utility enables you to reinstall individual drivers if they become corrupted or are erased. Yo

complete installation. Page 85

To use the System Recovery CD(s) Caution: This CD restores your notebook to its original state, therefore user data and applications will be lost.

Troubleshooting This section describes how to solve common problems you may encounter when using your notebook. Many problems havesimple solutions, so

Troubleshooting Your Notebook My notebook does not start. Check that the notebook is plugged into a power source and that it is turned on. Check that

Troubleshooting Your Notebook My notebook does not start. Check that the notebook is plugged into a power source and that it is turned on. Check that

Select one display at a time to playback DVDs. Connect the cable before you turn on the notebook, otherwise Fn + F8 willnot work. Fn + EscStandby Put

My notebook starts but a BIOS error appears. When the internal backup battery is low on power, it may not start your system properly. The message, &q

My notebook starts, but the message "Operating system not found" appears, and Windows does not start. Make sure there is no floppy disk in

My notebook stops responding or does not shut down. It is best to shut down your notebook using the Shut Down command on the Windows Start menu. Using

The power management setting is not responding. Your notebook's operating system may become unstable if it is interrupted or if you attempt to ma

Why does the System Properties dialog box display a slower CPU speed than advertised? Your computer uses a speed-controlling technology that conserves

Troubleshooting the LCD Screen My LCD screen is blank. Check that the notebook is plugged into a power source and is turned on. Check that the power

Troubleshooting the LCD Screen My LCD screen is blank. Check that the notebook is plugged into a power source and is turned on. Check that the power

My LCD screen continues to show the previous screen. Press the Windows key and the D key twice to refresh the screen. Page 97

The image on my connected external display is not centered or sized properly. Use the controls on your external display to adjust the image. See the m

I want to change the video resolution of my display. Follow this procedure to change the video resolution of your display. Click Start, Control Panel