Sony PCG-GR300K User's Guide

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

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

Conserving battery power When using your notebook with a battery, the LCD display and the hard drive can be set to switch off automatically toconserve

Optimizing clock speed settings To customize your notebook's CPU performance, you can set the clock speed according to one of three available mod

Displaying Battery Information You can display information for each of the batteries in your notebook. The following sections briefly describe how to

Battery icon descriptions Battery icon Battery status Charging Fully charged Discharging No battery Page 103

Displaying detailed battery information Double-click the battery icon on the taskbar to display the Battery Information window. The Battery tab contai

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

Changing the window design of Sony software To change the window design 1.Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then point to Control Panel.

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 Models with 256 MB memory1 Total System Memory (MB) Slot 1 (MB) Slot 2 (MB) 256 256 384 256 128 512 256

VAIO Action Setup VAIO Action Setup manages the settings for your notebook's center Jog Dial control, Memory Stick® media, and i.LINK®1interfac

Typical expansion memory configuration Models with 256 MB memory1 Total System Memory (MB) Slot 1 (MB) Slot 2 (MB) 256 256 384 256 128 512 256

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, select VAIO, and then click "Sony Notebook Setup.&quo

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

Apple Computer, Inc. The versatile QuickTime software is used to play hundreds of different kinds of files, including video, audio, and virtualreality

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 118

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

Center Jog Dial Control Your notebook is equipped with a center Jog Dial control located below the left and right buttons. The center Jog Dialcontrol

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

To use the System Recovery CD(s) The System Recovery utility formats your hard disk drive and restores all original software applications. Your comput

After recovering your system using the System Recovery CD(s), you may be prompted to insert your Application RecoveryCD(s) after restarting Windows. I

VAIO AV Applications Your VAIO® computer is preconfigured with a collection of audio and video (AV) applications that make it easy to useadvanced mult

Overview of Preinstalled Software DigitalPrint Sony Electronics Inc. This image management software makes it fun and easy to edit, import, and organiz

DigitalPrint Software DigitalPrint is designed to creatively manage your digital pictures. With its easy-to-use features, you can quickly loadimages f

Using PhotoCapture Capture and import your digital pictures from your digital camera or camcorder into your computer. You can select yourfavorite pict

4.Select the desired pictures, and click Get Pictures. The PhotoCapture picture editor window appears. 5.Click View to see an enlarged version of a se

Using PhotoCollection You can select and print your favorite digital pictures, using your computer and home printer. 1.Click (Photo) to open the Phot

6.Click Print All to print all pages, or click "Print the selected page only" to print a specific page of photos. Page 129

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 c

Using PhotoDecor You can decorate your favorite photos with clip art, stamps, or your own drawing talent. Add, remove, and change yourdesigns to creat

Using PhotoAlbum Capture your special photos in an organized photo album. You can share your custom-made photo albums with friends andfamily. 1.Click

Using LabelMaker Use LabelMaker to design original labels to personalize your media, such as Memory Stick® media, CDs, or video cassettes. 1.Click (L

See the online Help for detailed information on using DigitalPrint software. Page 133

DVgate Software Connecting a digital video camcorder Turn off the power to your digital video camcorder before connecting it to your computer. After c

DVgate Software Connecting a digital video camcorder Turn off the power to your digital video camcorder before connecting it to your computer. After c

MovieShaker Software MovieShaker software can be used to create fun and innovative movies without any previous knowledge of film editing. Ina few si

Creating movies with MovieShaker software Using your imported clips, you can create a short movie using the Shake feature. The Shake feature selects c

1.Double-click or drag the desired clip or scene to move it to the Story Board tray. 2.Click the Effect button on the Effect tray. Effect tray windo

4.Drag the Text effect icon you want to add from the Effect tray to the Effect palette on the Edit tray. 5.Click the Play button on the Edit tray to p

Launcher mode The center Jog Dial control window is in launcher mode until a software application is launched or the Jog Dial controlwindow becomes ac

Using ImageStation online service with MovieShaker software ImageStationSM is an online service that allows you to store your pictures and movies on t

PictureGear Software PictureGear software is a digital image management application that allows you to view all the images stored in anydirectory on

Managing your pictures Use the Collection feature to manage your pictures. 1.From the Collection menu, click Create New Collection. 2.Enter a name for

Creating a photo album 1.Click the Folder tab in the main window and browse to locate your pictures. 2.Select the pictures you want to include in your

Custom album "Completed" dialog box 7.Click Save to designate the location where you want to save your album. 8.Enter a name for the targe

Smart Capture Smart Capture is a Sony application that manages the i.LINK® connection between your computer and a compatible i.LINKdigital camera or c

Displays the still or video image from your digital camera or camcorder. The Smart Capture main window opens with a blue screen image, indicating that

Using Still Mode 1.Click Start in the Windows® taskbar and click All Programs. 2.Select Smart Capture and then click Smart Capture. The Smart Capture

1.Use your digital camera or camcorder to locate the image you want to capture. When you see the desired imagein the Smart Capture window, click the C

Using Net Movie Mode 1.From the Start button in the Windows taskbar, select All Programs, select Smart Capture, and then click SmartCapture. The Smart

Guide mode The Jog Dial control window is in the guide mode when software is in use and the software window is active. Depending onthe software you ar

3.You can review your movie from the Movie Player window by using the play, pause, and stop buttons. Click thearrows or drag the scroll bar to view yo

Using ImageStation with Smart Capture software ImageStationSM is an online service that allows you to store your pictures and movies on the Internet t

Sony recommends that your movie file size not exceed 254 MB if compressed, or 2 GB if not compressed. Large movie filestake longer to upload to the Im

SonicStage Software SonicStage software is a new jukebox application that adds a host of new features to its predecessor, OpenMG Jukebox.SonicStage

Electronic Music Distribution (EMD) Services EMD enables you to download music files via the Internet. To use Internet services that are compatible wi

Starting SonicStage 1.Click Start in the Windows taskbar and then click All Programs. 2.Select SonicStage and then click SonicStage. Note: The CDDB

2 Player control buttons Controls playback functions, such as play, pause, stop, fast forward, and reverse. You can increase or decrease volume andsw

Recording from a CD You can record songs from audio CDs and import them to playlists in SonicStage. Note: When you record from an audio CD from you

Transferring songs (Check-In/Check-Out) You can transfer songs between the playlists in the SonicStage software and external devices or media. For mor

Note: To cancel Check In, click (Stop), or click Cancel in the Processing dialog box that is displayed during the Check Outprocess. For more infor

Center Jog Dial back button The center Jog Dial control includes a back button located to the right of the control. Pressing this button brings you ba

Additional features SonicStage Tutorial — SonicStage features are described in the Tutorial. The user-friendly interface instructs you onhow to use a

SonicStage Premium Software SonicStage Premium software1 is a unique integrated software application that supports high quality digital audioplaybac

Overview of SonicStage Premium Software SonicStage Premium software has unique features that integrate with your MiniDisc drive, FM tuner and DVD-RW d

Audio file formats OpenMG format: ATRAC3 files with the file extension .omg. WAV format MP3 format Audio files that are compliant with WMT (Window

To Use SonicStage Premium Software When you start SonicStage Premium software for the first time, certain settings must be enabled in order to use the

A Audio source icons Identifies the audio sources. B IMPORT button Displays the Import window. C CD BACKUP button Displays the Create Audio CDs win

Increase or decrease sound volume when playing back songs from audio sources. I Equalizer button Displays the MX Equalizer dialog box, enabling you t

Audio source is a MagicGate Memory Stick media inserted into your computer's Memory Stick slot. (Note: A standard Memory Stick media (blue color

To Use Playback and Recording Features Playing an audio CD When you play an audio CD in your computer's optical drive for the first time, you are

Playing songs on your hard disk drive (Playlist) 1.Click (M drive). The Playlist Playback panel appears. 2.Click Show List on the Playback panel to v

Using the center Jog Dial control with Sony software If Sony software that supports the center Jog Dial control is active, you can use the functions o

Stereo Recording mode Mono Recording mode 7.Select the recording (check-out) mode. Click OK. 8.Click (Stop Record) to stop or cancel the recording

4.Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the driver installation. 5.Restart your computer when prompted. 6.Connect your audio device to a USB po

To Use the Visualizer, Equalizer, and Sound Effects Your VAIO® MX computer has special features to enhance your music experience. You can view synchro

Note: You may hear distortion during playback of some songs when sound effects have been added. If this occurs,select "Sound Effect Off"

To Use the FM Tuner Your VAIO® MX computer is equipped with a built-in FM tuner, enabling you to listen to and record from FM radio stations.Your FM a

To quickly set the amount time remaining to record: 1.Click on the FM Listening panel during the recording session, to automatically set the recordin

To Use the Timer Functions You can use the timer functions to schedule one-time, daily, and weekly playback or recording events. SonicStage Premiumena

Writing songs from a Playlist to a CD-R media. Performing a check-in or check-out of songs. Importing audio files. Leaving the computer turned off

Additional Information SonicStage Premium Backup Tool — You can back up and restore all of the music, graphics and information datamanaged by Sonic

VisualFlow Software VisualFlow software is a Sony state-of-the-art multimedia browser designed specifically for Memory Stick® media. Itdisplays any

Using the center Jog Dial control with other software If the software you are using supports the center Jog Dial control, you can still use the center

Using VisualFlow software You can navigate in the VisualFlow application by using your mouse, the directional arrows on your keyboard, or the SonyJog

Additional Software Information VAIO Edit Components Sony Electronics Inc. VAIO Edit Components is a software plug-in for Adobe® Premiere® that provid

VAIO Edit Components Software VAIO Edit Components is a software plug-in for Adobe® Premiere® that provides maximum compatibility and video quality fo

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

8.Press the Enter key. The Setup Confirmation window appears. 9.Select Yes, and press the Enter key. 10.Select Exit (Save Changes), then press the Ent

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

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 Drives, PC Cards and Peripheral Devices I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO® computers when using an i.LINK1 cable 1.Disc

If you are using two PC Cards, use the Sony Notebook Setup utility to disable the devices you are not currentlyusing. Check that any necessary drive

Using the Removable Hard Disk Drive Your notebook is equipped with a removable, preformatted hard disk drive, located on the right side next to the ba

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

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

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

Troubleshooting the Printer I cannot print. The default setting for the printer port mode is correct for most printers. If you cannot print, try chan

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

hours 7 days a week, 24 hours a day 1 Support from 1-888-4-SONY-PC is free of c harge for 90 days after the original date of purc has e. Windows® Ope

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

Using Your VAIO Notebook This section describes how to use your keyboard, touchpad, and optical drive. You will also find information on how toconnect

Notes on Removable Hard Disk Drive Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the hard disk drive and related components. Sony cannot guarantee the hard

Using the Optical Disc Drive Your notebook comes with a removable optical disc drive located in the multipurpose bay. Depending on the system youpurch

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 Controlling PowerMa

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® software. For more information on WinDVD,see the Help man

To play an audio CD To play an audio CD, make sure the audio function is turned on. To do this, complete the following procedure. Note: The optical

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 Easy CD Creator® software to write data to a CD-R or CD-RW disc. Easy CD Creator works only if the

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 a

To insert a PC Card 1.Insert the PC Card into the PC Card slot. Make sure the front label of the PC Card is facing up. Inserting a PC Card 2.Push th

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

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 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 m

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 Memory Stick Media This compact, portable, and versatile recording medium has a data capacity exceeding that of a floppy disk. The medium isspec

Types of Memory Stick media The following two types of Memory Stick media can be used with your notebook: MagicGate Memory Stick media (hereafter

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

2.Push the Memory Stick media in toward the notebook. 3.When the Memory Stick media ejects, pull it out. Note: Be careful when removing the Memory

Write-protecting Memory Stick media Memory Stick media is designed with a write-protect tab to protect valuable data from accidental erasure or overwr

Formatting Memory Stick media Memory Stick media is formatted for immediate use when you purchase it. If you need to reformat Memory Stick media, uset

When using Memory Stick media Note: When the write-protect tab of the Memory Stick media is set to LOCK, data cannot be recorded or erased. Before

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

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 with another VAIO computer The preinstalled Smart Connect software enables you to use an optional i.LINK®1 cable to connect your VAIO noteb

Combinations and functions with the Windows key Combination Function + F1 Displays Windows Help. + Tab Switches the selected button on the taskbar.

Connecting to a Local Area Network (LAN) You can connect your notebook to 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX-type networks. For the detailed settings and devices

Setting up your Ethernet connection To connect to the network 1.Right-click My Network Places and select Properties. 2.Click Advanced and select Netwo

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

Connecting an External Floppy Disk Drive You can connect a Sony USB floppy disk drive (not supplied) to the USB port on your notebook. Page 53

To connect an external floppy disk drive Note: You do not need to shut down your notebook before connecting or disconnecting a floppy disk drive. P

To insert a floppy disk 1.Hold the floppy disk with the label side facing upward. 2.Gently push the floppy disk into the drive until it clicks into pl

To remove a floppy disk When you finish using the floppy disk, wait until the LED indicator turns off and then press the Eject button toremove the fl

Removing an external floppy disk drive when the notebook is on Note: If your notebook is turned off, you do not have to follow these instructions.

To carry an external floppy disk drive Fold the floppy disk cable into the side compartment on the floppy disk drive. Carrying an External Floppy Di

Handling floppy disks Do not open the shutter manually and touch the surface of the floppy disk. Keep floppy disks away from magnets. Keep floppy d

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

Connecting a Port Replicator Your notebook supports the use of a port replicator (not supplied). Attaching a port replicator enables you to connectadd

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

5.Turn on the notebook. Page 62

To remove your notebook from the port replicator 1.Use the Unplug/Hardware box to stop all connected peripherals, then disconnect the peripherals from

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 the mouse or

Connecting an Audio Device You can connect an audio device to the optional port replicator or the notebook. See the manual and online help that camewi

Connecting a CD player, active speaker, or an amplifier Use the optional port replicator to connect a CD, MiniDisc, or audio cassette player to the LI

Connecting an Audio-Video Device You can connect an audio-video (AV) device, such as a TV or a VCR, to the optional port replicator or the notebook.

See the manual that came with your peripheral device for more information on its installation and use. If you insert a DVD in your optical drive to wa

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

Connecting a Parallel Port Printer You can connect a Windows 2000 operating system-compatible printer to your notebook to print documents. Page 70

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 2000 operating system-compatible USB printer to any of your notebook's three USB ports toprint

To connect a USB printer Plug the optional USB printer cable into one of the three USB ports on your notebook and the USB port on your printer. Conn

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:

To connect a computer display Locate the Monitor jack identified by the symbol on the back of the notebook. Plug the display cable (notsupplied) 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 Universal Serial Bus Device You can connect a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device such as an external mouse, keyboard, speaker, and microph

Combinations and functions with the Fn key Combinations/ Feature Function Fn+ (F3) Mute On/Off Toggles the built-in speaker off and on. Fn+ (F4) S

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®1 enabled digital video camera recorder to the i.LINK® S400 (IEEE1394) port. 1 i.LIN K is a tra

To connect a digital video camera recorder Plug one end of the i.LINK® cable (not supplied) into the i.LINK port on the left side of the notebook and

Connecting External Speakers You can enhance the sound quality of your notebook by puchasing and connecting external speakers. See the manualsupplied

Before you connect external speakers Make sure your speakers are designed for notebook use. Turn down the volume of the speakers before you turn the

To connect external speakers Locate the Headphone jack identified by the symbol on the back panel of the notebook. Plug the speaker cableinto this j

Connecting an External Microphone You can enhance the quality of sound input by using an external microphone. Note: Make sure your microphone is de

To connect an external microphone Locate the Microphone jack identified by the symbol on the back panel of the notebook. A protruding dot abovethe M

Expanding Your Notebook Capabilities The following peripheral devices can be connected to your notebook, to expand the capabilities of your computer a

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

Some functions are not available until Windows® launches. Page 9

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 You can customize the settings of your notebook. The following sections briefly describe how to change your notebook&ap

Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen To display the Sony Notebook Setup screen: 1.Click the Start button on the Windows® taskbar. 2.Select Progra

Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen To display the Sony Notebook Setup screen: 1.Click the Start button on the Windows® taskbar. 2.Select Progra

Sony Notebook Setup tabs Tab Description About This Computer Display system information, including memory capacity, serial number, and BIOS version.

Controlling Power Management The PowerPanel utility allows you to control the power management of your notebook and provides key information aboutsy

Viewing the Power Management status icons The Power Management status icons are displayed in the taskbar at the lower-right corner of your screen. Mov

Power Management profiles The PowerPanel utility provides several predefined power management profiles. Each profile consists of a group of powermanag

Power Management commands PowerPanel also provides power management commands that you can use to activate specific power managementfunctions and to co