Sony PCG-NV170 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

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

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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 105

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

Display Properties Notes If you change the factory display screen settings to 1600 x 1200 pixels, you can increase the display font size as well. To i

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

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 computer. See the Specificationssheet supplied

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

Removing a Memory Module Your computer may come with two memory modules already installed in the memory bay. To upgrade your memory, youmay need to re

Installing a Memory Module Your computer may come with one memory module installed. To upgrade your computer's overall memory capacity, you canin

Confirming Added Memory Capacity 1.Restart the computer. 2.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, select All Programs, and click "Sony Notebook Set

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

About the Software on Your Notebook Your VAIO® computer 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

Smart Capture is a fun new way to send multimedia messages via e-mail. Smart Capture manages the i.LINK® connectionbetween your notebook and a Sony Di

Software Support Information Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®, Photoshop® Elements, Photoshop® Elements Trial Version, Premiere® LE (AdobeSystems Inc.) Web sit

hours M-F, 5 A.M.-5 P.M. (Pacific time) 1 Support from 900-555-4932 is fee-based. Support from 800-644-3193 is automated and free of c harge. Quick

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 Recovery and System Recovery CDs. Application and System Recov

Application and System Recovery CDs Your computer comes with the following Application Recovery and System Recovery CDs. You will need an optical disc

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

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 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 computer. Many problems havesimple solutions, so

Troubleshooting Your Computer My computer does not start. Make sure the computer is plugged into a power source and is turned on. Make sure the powe

Troubleshooting Your Computer My computer does not start. Make sure the computer is plugged into a power source and is turned on. Make sure the powe

My computer starts but a BIOS error appears. When the internal backup battery is low on power, your system may not start properly, and the message &qu

My computer starts, but the message "Operating system not found" appears, and Windows does not start. If you have connected a docking stati

My computer stops responding or does not shut down. It is best to turn off your computer using the Turn Off Computer command on the Windows Start menu

The power management does not respond. Your computer's operating system may become unstable if a lower power state, such as Hibernate, is initiat

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

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

Why does the System Properties dialog box display a slower CPU speed than advertised? This is normal. Because your computer's CPU uses a type of

Troubleshooting the LCD Screen My LCD screen is blank. Verify the computer is plugged into a power source and is turned on. Verify the power indicat

Troubleshooting the LCD Screen My LCD screen is blank. Verify the computer is plugged into a power source and is turned on. Verify the power indicat

My LCD screen continues to show the previous screen. Press the Windows key and D twice to refresh the screen. Page 144

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. 1.Click Start on the taskbar, and then Control Panel. 2.Click Appearance and Themes, and then cli

I want to change the display resolution for AV Out. 1.Make sure your computer was started with the AV Out jack plugged in. 2.Click Start on the taskba

I cannot switch the LCD display to TV and vice versa. 1.Ensure that the TV was connected, configured, and powered on correctly prior to starting the c

Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad My mouse does not work. Make sure the mouse is securely plugged into the USB port. See Connecting a USB Device

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

Troubleshooting the Mouse and Touchpad My mouse does not work. Make sure the mouse is securely plugged into the USB port. See Connecting a USB Device

My touchpad does not work properly. You may have disabled the touchpad without connecting a mouse to the computer. To enable the touchpad: 1.Press th

The pointer does not move when I use the Touchpad or Mouse. You should restart your computer. Follow these steps: 1.Press the Windows key. 2.Press U.

Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards, and Peripheral Devices My floppy disk drive icon doesn't appear even though it is connected. Make sure the flo

Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards, and Peripheral Devices My floppy disk drive icon doesn't appear even though it is connected. Make sure the flo

My floppy disk drive cannot write to a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is write-protected, disable the write-protect feature or use a floppy disk tha

My optical drive is not playing my CD or DVD properly. Make sure the disc label is facing up. If the disc requires software, make sure the software

Why does it take longer for the optical disc drive to read some types of CDs? The reading speed for a CD-RW is slower than the reading speed for a CD-

My optical drive tray does not open. Make sure the computer is turned on. Press the Eject button on the optical drive. If the Eject button does not

I cannot use Digital Video (DV) devices. The message "DV equipment seems to be disconnected or turnedoff" appears. Make sure the DV device

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 PC Card does not work. Make sure the PC Card is installed properly. Make sure the PC Card is compatible with the Microsoft® Windows® operating sy

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

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

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

The application cannot find a file while a PC Card is inserted. When inserted into a computer that is connected to the docking station, some PC Cards

What software do I use for CD-R/CD-RW software functions? Using the preinstalled SonicStage software's Record function to create CDs on your VAIO

I cannot use the DVgate software. If your computer is using the Ultimate Battery Life profile for its power saving mode, you cannot use DVgate or Sm

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

Troubleshooting the Modem My modem does not work. Make sure the telephone cable is plugged into the cable jack. See Connecting a Telephone Cable for

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

Troubleshooting the Modem My modem does not work. Make sure the telephone cable is plugged into the cable jack. See Connecting a Telephone Cable for

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

Troubleshooting Audio My speakers have no sound. If the built-in speakers are turned off, press Fn+F3 or use the center Jog Dial Control to turn on

Troubleshooting Audio My speakers have no sound. If the built-in speakers are turned off, press Fn+F3 or use the center Jog Dial Control to turn on

There is noise distortion while listening to music with USB speakers or USB headphones. Use the preinstalled PowerPanel software to set the CPU cont

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

Troubleshooting Memory Stick Media I cannot open image files. If the Sony MemoryStick dialog box does not appear when you first insert a Memory Stick

Troubleshooting Memory Stick Media I cannot open image files. If the Sony MemoryStick dialog box does not appear when you first insert a Memory Stick

Memory Stick media does not work. I cannot access the removable drive. To locate the Memory Stick media icon in your My Computer folder 1.Click the Vi

Troubleshooting Wireless LAN Functions1 The computer cannot connect to a Wireless LAN Access Point. Connection availability is affected by distance an

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 Functions1 The computer cannot connect to a Wireless LAN Access Point. Connection availability is affected by distance an

I cannot access the Internet. Make sure the Wireless LAN switch on the computer is in the ON position or the Wireless LAN PC Card is properlyinserted

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 or use of microwaves and cordless telephones when connected to

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

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

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 computer comes with an optical disc drive, which is located on the right panel of the computer. See the Specificatio

Using Your VAIO Computer 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 computer. When the computer 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 com

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. 1.Click Start, and c

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-

Using PC Cards Do not strike or shake the computer while writing data to a disc. Always use the AC adapter as the power source for your computer 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 computer is turned on, follow these instructions. If your computer 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 computer's keyboard is very similar to that of a typewriter, but the keyboard has additional keys that perform specificco

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

Be careful when removing the Memory Stick media, as it may eject completely from the slot. 1 M agicGate Memory Stick and are trademarks of Sony C

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 the Multipurpose Bay You may install a variety of devices into the multipurpose bay to expand your computer's functionality. The multipurpo

To install a device while the computer is on or off Before you install a compact woofer, prop up the rear tilt stands on the bottom of the compute

To remove a device while the computer is off 1.Slide and hold the multipurpose bay Release switch in the release position while you gently pull the de

To remove a device while the computer is on Before disconnecting the device, close any active applications to help prevent data loss. 1.Double-cli

Notes on using a device in the multipurpose bay Do not place the compact woofer near any magnetic recording media, such as a hard disk, floppy dis

of clicking the right mouse button. Page 4

Using the Floppy Disk Drive Whether you installed the supplied floppy disk drive into the multipurpose bay or connected an external floppy disk drive

To insert a floppy disk into the floppy disk drive 1.Hold the floppy disk with the label facing up. 2.Gently push the floppy disk into the drive until

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

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

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

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

Standby mode In Standby Mode the computer 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 computer startsnormally i

Connecting a Telephone Cable You need to connect a telephone cable to take advantage of online services and the Internet. In order to register you

Combinations and functions with the Windows key Combination Function + F1 Displays the VAIO Help and Support Center window. + Tab Switches the sele

Connecting to a Local Area Network You can connect your computer 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

Connecting to a Wireless LAN1 Your computer may come with a built-in mini PCI card that allows for wireless connections. With Sony's Wireless Loc

Turning On Wireless LAN To enable Wireless LAN functionality, first locate the Wireless LAN switch on the top right corner of the computer. Move thesw

The Wireless LAN Access Point The Wireless LAN Access Point is designed for building a Wireless LAN environment. You can easily build a wireless LANen

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

Communicating without an access point (ad-hoc) An ad-hoc network is one in which a local network is created only by the wireless devices themselves, w

5.Click OK. 6.Click Advanced. The Advanced dialog box appears. 7.Select "Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only.", and click Close. 8.S

Checking your connection status To confirm your connection status with an access point 1.Right-click the Wireless Network Connection icon on the Windo

Turning Off Wireless LAN To turn off Wireless LAN functionality Turning off Wireless LAN functionality while accessing remote documents, files, or

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

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 a USB Device You can connect a universal serial bus (USB) device, such as a external mouse, keyboard, speaker, and microphone to yourcomput

To connect a USB device 1.Locate a USB port on the rear panel of your computer. 2.Plug one end of the USB cable (not supplied) into one of these port

Connecting a USB Printer You can connect a universal serial bus (USB) printer to your computer. However, make sure the USB device you want toconnect i

To connect a USB printer 1.Locate a USB port on the rear panel of the computer. 2.Plug one end of the USB printer cable (not supplied) into one of th

Connecting a Parallel Port Printer You can connect a parallel port printer to your computer. However, make sure the parallel port printer you want to

To connect to a parallel port printer 1.Locate the Printer port on the rear panel of the computer. 2.Plug one end of the printer cable (not supplied)

Connecting an Audio Device You can connect an audio device to your computer using mini-plug cables shorter than 2 meters with no resistance. Page 68

To connect an audio device 1.Plug one end of an audio cable (not supplied) into the Headphone jack on the computer. 2.Plug the opposite end of the aud

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

Connecting an Audio-Video Device You can connect an audio-video (AV) device, such as a TV or a VCR, to your computer. Page 70

To connect an AV device 1.Locate the AV Out jack on the left panel of the computer. 2.Plug one end of an audio-video cable (not supplied) into this ja

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

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

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

Notes on connecting an i.LINK device Only the Sony digital video camera port labeled DV IN/OUT or i.LINK are i.LINK-compatible. Do not connect more

Connecting an External Display You can connect any of the following external displays to your computer. Computer display (monitor) Multimedia comput

To connect a computer display 1.Turn off the computer before you connect the computer display. 2.Locate the VGA (Monitor) port. 3.Plug the display ca

To connect a multimedia computer display 1.Turn off the computer before you connect the multimedia computer display. 2.Locate the AV Out jack on the l

To connect a projector 1.Turn off the computer before you connect the projector. 2.Locate the VGA (Monitor) port and the Headphone jack on the compu

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

Changing the display when connecting an external computer display or projector When you connect an external display to the VGA (Monitor) port, you ca

Connecting with another VAIO computer The preinstalled Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system enables you to use a compatible i.LINK®1 cable (not sup

To connect two VAIO computers 1.Right-click My Computer, and select Properties. 2.Select the Computer Name tab, and type in a unique name for the comp

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

To connect external speakers 1.Make sure that your speakers are designed for computer use. 2.Turn down the volume of the speakers. 3.Locate the Headph

Notes on connecting external speakers Do not connect external speakers to the AV Out jack. Connecting speakers to this jack will not damage thespeake

Connecting an External Microphone You can enhance the quality of sound input by using an external microphone (not supplied). Page 86

To connect an external microphone 1.Make sure that your microphone is designed for computer use. 2.Locate the Microphone jack on the left panel of th

To record from a microphone or audio device You can record messages, memos, or other recordings in analog by connecting a microphone or other audio de

Adjusting the volume You can adjust the volume for playing or recording, but you can only adjust the recording volume in the Recording Controlwindow.

Standby Puts the system into Standby mode, a power management state. To return the system to the activestate, press any key. You can also carry o

Expanding Your Computer Capabilities You can connect the following peripheral devices to your computer to expand its capabilities and enhance its vers

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. You can easilybuild

Wireless LAN PC Card You can purchase an external Wireless LAN PC Card separately, but your computer (depending on the model youpurchased) may already

Customizing Your VAIO Computer The following sections briefly describe how to change your notebook's default settings. Displaying the Sony Noteb

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