Sony PCG-GRX560 User Manual

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

Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen To display the Sony Notebook Setup screen: 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and then Control Panel. 2.

Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen To display the Sony Notebook Setup screen: 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and then Control Panel. 2.

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 powerman

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

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

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 109

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

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, and then click Control Panel. 2.In the left window p

Using the Multilingual User Interface Language Option (Windows® XP Pro only) After you have initially setup your new VAIO computer, you have the abili

To Change the Language Option 1.Click Start in the Windows taskbar, then click Control Panel. 2.Click "Date, Time, Language and Regional Options&

To Change Numbers, Currency, Time, and Date Formats You can change the system's number, currency, time and date formats to coordinate with your c

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 Memory Total System Memory (MB) Slot 1 (MB) Slot 2 (MB) 256 256 384 256 128 512 256 25

Typical expansion memory configuration Models with 256 MB Memory Total System Memory (MB) Slot 1 (MB) Slot 2 (MB) 256 256 384 256 128 512 256 25

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

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.(Windows® XP) Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, select All Programs, and click "Sony No

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

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. This introductory edition of EverQuest, a living, constantly evolving fantasy world, takes users to new heights of onli

reality (VR) movies. You can play QuickTime files (referred to as "QuickTime movies") using QuickTime Player or any otherapplication, such a

VisualFlow software is a state-of-the-art Sony multimedia browser designed specifically for Memory Stick® media. It displaysany still picture, movie o

Software Support Information Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®, Photoshop® Elements, Premiere® LE (Adobe Systems Inc.) Web site http://www.adobe.com/ e-mail t

phone 510-859-0308; 900-820-83241 hours M-F, 8 AM-5 PM (PST) 1 Support from 510-859-0308 is free of c harge, but subject to delays. Support from 900

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

Web site http://www.intervideo.com phone 510-651-0888 Page 130

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 the Recovery CDs This section provides you with details on your Sony Application, Driver, and System Recovery CDs. Application, Driver, and Sys

Application, Driver, and System Recovery CDs Your computer comes with the following Application Recovery, Driver Recovery, and System Recovery CDs. Yo

Using Your Recovery CDs The following sections describe how to use the Application Recovery and System Recovery utilities. Page 134

To use the Application Recovery CD(s) The Application Recovery CD utility enables you to reinstall individual software applications, device drivers, 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

To use the System Recovery CD(s) The System Recovery CD(s) enables you to format your hard disk drive and restores all original software applications.

Your system may include one or more System Recovery CDs. If you have more than one System Recovery CDs,insert the first CD to run the System Reco

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

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

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

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. If you have connected an external, opt

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

The sound of my notebook's fan is too loud. Use the PowerPanel utility to change the Thermal Control Strategy setting to Quiet. This setting slow

Why does the System Properties dialog box display a slower CPU speed than advertised? Your computer uses speed-controlling technology. The System Pro

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 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

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

My LCD screen continues to show the previous screen. Press the Windows key and the D key twice to refresh the screen. Page 150

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, point to Cont

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 no

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 may have disabled the touchpad without connecting a mouse to the notebook. To enable the touchpad: 1.Press th

The pointer does not move while using the Touchpad or Mouse. The computer should be restarted. Follow these steps: 1.Press the Windows key. 2.Press t

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

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

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

My floppy disk drive (optional) cannot write to a floppy disk. Check that the optional, external floppy disk drive is properly connected to your note

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

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

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

What software do I use for CD-R/CD-RW software functions? Sony recommends using the preinstalled SonicStage software's Record function to create

Why is my computer operating improperly after downloading the CD-burning feature of RealJukebox®software? Sony does not guarantee the performance of t

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

I cannot use the DVgate software. If your notebook is using the Ultimate Battery Life profile for its power saving mode, you cannot use DVgate orSm

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

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

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

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

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

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

Troubleshooting the Printer I cannot print. Make sure the power to the printer is on, and the printer cable is securely connected to both the printer

Troubleshooting the Printer I cannot print. Make sure the power to the printer is on, and the printer cable is securely connected to both the printer

Troubleshooting Wireless LAN The computer cannot connect to a Wireless LAN Access Point. Make sure the Wireless LAN PC card is properly installed in

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

Troubleshooting Wireless LAN The computer cannot connect to a Wireless LAN Access Point. Make sure the Wireless LAN PC card is properly installed in

I cannot access the Internet. Make sure the Wireless LAN PC card is properly inserted into the PC card slot on the left of the notebook. Check if yo

The data transfer speed is slow. The Wireless LAN data transfer speed is affected by distance and obstructions between devices and access points.Othe

The communication speed is interrupted or slowed down when MPEG2 data is transferred. The typical effective data transfer speed via an access point is

Data transfers are interrupted. Data transfer interruptions may occur with large files. Check if the access point connection is intact, see Checking y

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

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

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

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

To insert a disc 1.Turn on the notebook. When the notebook is in Standby or Hibernate mode, you cannot insert a disc. See Controlling PowerManagem

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, see theHelp menu in th

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. The optical dis

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 Do not strike or shake the notebook while writing data to a disc. Always use the AC adapter as the power source for your notebook i

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

To remove a PC Card If your notebook is turned on, follow these instructions. If your notebook is turned off, skip to step number 5. 1.Close all appli

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

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

Types of Memory Stick media The following two types of Memory Stick media can be used with your notebook: MagicGate 1 Memory Stick media (hereafter

3.When the Memory Stick media ejects, pull it out. Be careful when removing the Memory Stick media, as it may eject completely from the slot. 1 M

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,follo

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

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 Charging the Second Battery To determine the amount of time the battery lasts, see Displaying Battery Informat

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

of clicking the right mouse button. Page 4

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 switch in the direction of the arrow. Multipurpose

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

Notes on power saving modes When returning from Hibernate mode, the system status stored on the hard disk is erased and the notebook startsnormally i

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

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

Setting up your Ethernet connection To connect to the network 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and select My Computer. 2.In the Other Places box

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

Connecting to a Wireless LAN Your computer may come with a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) PC Card1 that allows for wireless connections. WithSony&a

The Wireless LAN Access Point The Wireless LAN Access Point, which is also called the access point, is designed for building a Wireless LAN environmen

Communicating with an Access Point (infrastructure) An infrastructure network is one that extends an existing wired local network to wireless devices

Checking your connection status To confirm your connection status with an access point 1.Click Start on the Windows taskbar, and then Control Panel. 2

Confirming access point information To check access point information 1.Click Start on the Windows taskbar, and then Control Panel. 2.Click Network an

Communicating without an Access Point (peer-to-peer) A peer-to-peer network is one in which a local network is created only by the wireless devices th

Turning Off Wireless LAN When you are not using the Wireless LAN network, disconnect the PC Card when the notebook is turned Off. Press the PCCard slo

Notes on using Wireless LAN Sony Wireless LAN devices support the IEEE 802.11b standard. Devices connecting to a Wireless LAN using the IEEE802.11a s

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 a USB port on your notebook. Your notebook ha

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

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

To insert a floppy disk into the external floppy disk drive 1.Hold the floppy disk with the label side facing upward. 2.Gently push the floppy disk in

To remove a floppy disk from the external floppy disk drive 1.Close all applications that were opened from the disk and wait for the LED indicator to

To disconnect an external floppy disk drive when the notebook is on 1.Double-click in the taskbar. The "Safely remove ..." dialog box opens

To carry an external floppy disk drive Fold the floppy disk drive cable and connector into the side compartment on the floppy disk drive. Carrying a

Notes on handling floppy disks Do not open the shutter manually and touch the surface of the floppy disk. Keep floppy disks away from magnets. Keep

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 the notebook to the port replicator First, connect the supplied AC adapter or another Sony adapter (not supplied) to the port replicator to

To remove your notebook from the port replicator 1.Double-click in the taskbar. The "Safely remove ..." dialog box opens. 2.Click the dialo

Connecting a PS/2 External Mouse or Keyboard You can connect either an external PS/2® mouse or PS/2 keyboard to the port replicator (not supplied) usi

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

To connect an external mouse or keyboard 1.Shut down the notebook before you connect or disconnect the PS/2 external mouse or keyboard connector. 2.Co

Connecting an Audio Device You can connect an audio device to the port replicator (not supplied) or the notebook using mini-plug cables shorter than 2

To connect a CD player, active speaker, or an amplifier If you use the port replicator to connect a CD, MiniDisc, or audio cassette player, you may us

Connecting an Audio-Video Device You can connect an audio-video (AV) device, such as a TV or a VCR, to the port replicator (not supplied) or the noteb

Regardless if you use the port replicator or the notebook to connect an AV device, you will need to switch the TV inputchannel to external input and s

To change the display If you insert a DVD in your optical drive to watch on your TV, the Fn+F8 key combination might not activate the function totoggl

Connecting a Parallel Port Printer You can connect a Windows 2000 operating system-compatible printer to the port replicator (not supplied) or thenote

To connect a printer to the notebook 1.Locate the Printer port on the rear panel of the notebook or the port replicator. 2.Plug the printer cable (su

Connecting a USB Printer You can connect a Windows 2000 operating system-compatible USB printer to any of the three notebook USB ports or thetwo port

To connect a USB printer to the notebook 1.Plug the USB printer cable (not supplied) connector into the USB port on your notebook or port replicator,

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

Connecting an External Display You can connect any one of the following external displays to your notebook or port replicator (not supplied). Compute

To connect a computer display to the notebook 1.Shut down the computer before you connect the computer display. 2.Locate the VGA (Monitor) port on th

To connect a multimedia computer display to the notebook You can connect a multimedia computer display with built-in speakers and a microphone to the

To connect a projector to the notebook You can also connect a projector, such as the Sony LCD Projector, to the notebook or port replicator. 1.Shut do

To change the display when connecting an external computer display or projector When you connect an external display to the VGA (Monitor) port, you c

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

To connect a USB device to the notebook 1.Locate the USB port on the rear, left, or right panel. 2.Plug the USB cable (not supplied) connector into t

Connecting an i.LINK Device You can connect an i.LINK®1 enabled digital video camera recorder to the i.LINK® S400 (IEEE 1394) port on the notebook. 1

To connect a digital video camera recorder 1.Plug the i.LINK® cable (not supplied) connector into the i.LINK port on the left panel of the notebook. 2

Notes on connecting an i.LINK device Only the Sony digital video camera port labeled "DV In/Out" or "i.LINK" are i.LINK-compatibl

You can also carry out these functions using the center Jog Dial control. Some functions are not available untilWindows® launches. Page 9

Connecting with another VAIO computer The preinstalled Smart Connect software enables you to use an i.LINK®1 cable (not supplied) to connect your VAIO

Connecting External Speakers You can enhance the sound quality of your notebook by connecting external speakers (not supplied). Do not place flopp

To connect external speakers 1.Verify that your speakers are designed for notebook use, and turn down the volume of the speakers. 2.Locate the Headph

Connecting an External Microphone You can enhance the quality of sound input by using an external microphone (not supplied). Page 93

To connect an external microphone 1.Verify that your microphone is designed for notebook use and compliant with the plug-in power microphone. 2.Locate

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

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. Displaying the Sony Noteb