Sony VGN-NW series Customizing Your VAIO Computer

Customizing Your VAIO Computer >

Customizing Your VAIO Computer

This section briefly describes how to change the main settings of y our VAIO computer. Among other things, you will learn

how to use and customize the look of your Sony software and utilities.

❑Setting the Password (page 89)

❑Using the VAIO Control Center (page 94)

❑Using the Power Saving Modes (page 95)

❑Using the VAIO Power Management (page 100)

❑Configuring Your Modem (page 102)

Contents

Main Contents Page Before Use How to find specifications Finding More about Your VAIO Computer 1. Printed Documentation 2. On-screen Documentation 3. Support Web Sites Ergonomic Considerations Page Getting Started Page Front Page Right Left Back/Bottom About the Indicator Lights About the Indicator Lights Your computer is equipped with the following indicator lights: Indicator Functions Connecting a Power Source Using the AC Adapter To use the AC adapter Using the Battery Pack Installing the Battery Pack To install the battery pack Page Page Charging the Battery Pack To charge the battery pack Page Using the Battery Charge Functions To enable the battery care function To check the battery charge capacity Using the Battery Life Conserving Wallpaper To set the battery life conserving wallpaper Removing the Battery Pack To remove the battery pack Shutting Down Your Computer Safely To shut down your computer Updating Your Computer Using Your VAIO Computer Using the Keyboard Using the Keyboard Your keyboard has additional keys that perform model-specific task s. Combinations and Functions with the Fn Key Page Using the Touch Pad Using Special-function Buttons Using Special-function Buttons Your computer is equipped with special buttons to help you use spec ific functions of the computer. Special-function button Functions Using the Quick Web Access Function Activating the Quick Web Access Function To activate the Quick Web Access function Exiting the Quick Web Access Function Using the Built-in Camera To use the preinstalled image capture software Using the Optical Disc Drive To insert a disc Page Using the Optical Disc Drive Supported Disc Media Using the Optical Disc Drive Notes on Using the Optical Disc Drive Notes on writing data to a disc Notes on playing discs Notes on region codes Playing Discs To play a disc Copying Files to Discs To copy files to a disc Using the Memory Stick Before You Use the Memory Stick Page To remove a Memory Stick Formatting a Memory Stick To format a Memory Stick Notes on Using the Memory Stick Using Other Modules / Memory Cards Using the ExpressCard Module To insert an ExpressCard module To remove an ExpressCard module Using the SD Memory Card Before you use the SD memory card To insert an SD memory card To remove an SD memory card Notes on Using Memory Cards General notes on using the memory card Notes on using the SD memory card Using the Internet To connect a telephone cable To set up a dial-up connection to the Internet Using the Network (LAN) Using the Wireless LAN Using the Wireless LAN Page To communicate without an access point (ad-hoc) Communicating with an Access Point (Infrastructure) To connect to a wireless network Stopping Wireless LAN Communications To stop wireless LAN communications Using the Bluetooth Function Notes on using the Bluetooth function Page Bluetooth Security Communicating with Another Bluetooth Device To communicate with another Bluetooth device Page Using Peripheral Devices Connecting External Speakers or Headphones To connect external speakers Connecting an External Display Connecting a Computer Display To connect a computer display Page Connecting a Multimedia Computer Display To connect a multimedia computer display Connecting a TV To connect a TV to your computer To connect a high-quality digital sound output device between your computer and a TV Connecting a Projector To connect a projector Selecting Display Modes To select a display Using the Multiple Monitors Function To use the Multiple Monitors function Page Connecting an External Microphone To connect an external microphone Connecting a USB Device To connect a USB device Notes on connecting a USB device Connecting an i.LINK Device Notes on connecting i.LINK devices Connecting a Digital Video Camcorder To connect a digital video camcorder Customizing Your VAIO Computer Setting the Password Adding the Power-on Password To add the power-on password (machine password) To add the power-on password (user password) Changing/Removing the Power-on Password To change or remove the power-on password (machine password) To change or remove the power-on password (user password) Using the VAIO Control Center To use the VAIO Control Center Using the Power Saving Modes Using Normal Mode Using Sleep Mode To activate Sleep mode To return to Normal mode To change the Sleep mode settings Using Hibernate Mode To activate Hibernate mode To return to Normal mode Using the VAIO Power Management Selecting a Power Plan To select a power plan To change the power plan settings VAIO Power Management Viewer To start the VAIO Power Management Viewer Configuring Your Modem To change the country settings for your modem Page Upgrading Your VAIO Computer Adding and Removing Memory Notes on adding/removing memory modules Page Removing and Installing a Memory Module To change or add a memory module Page Page Viewing the Amount of Memory To view the amount of memory Precautions Handling the LCD Screen Using the Power Source Handling Your Computer Page Page Handling the Built-in Camera Handling Discs Using the Battery Pack Using Headphones Handling the Memory Stick Handling the Built-in Storage Device To avoid damaging your hard disk drive To avoid damaging your solid state drive Troubleshooting Page Computer What should I do if my computer does not start? What should I do if the green power indicator light turns on but my screen remains blank? What should I do if my computer or software stops responding? Why doesn't my computer enter Sleep or Hibernate mode? To restore your computer to Normal mode What should I do if the charge indicator light is blinking fast and my computer does not start? Page What should I do if my game software does not work or it keeps crashing? What should I do if I cannot remember the power-on password? How can I change the boot device order? Page System Security How can I protect my computer against security threats, such as viruses? How do I keep my antivirus software updated? Battery Page Built-in Camera Why does the viewfinder show no images or poor-quality images? Why are captured images poor in quality? What should I do if captured images contain dropped frames and audio interruptions? Page Internet What should I do if my modem does not work? Why is my modem connection slow? Networking What should I do if my computer cannot connect to a wireless LAN access point? Page What should I do if I cannot access the Internet? Why is the data transfer speed slow? How do I avoid data transfer interruptions? What are channels? Why does the network connection stop when I change the encryption key? How do I display the VAIO Smart Network window? Bluetooth Technology What should I do if other Bluetooth devices cannot find my computer? What should I do if I cannot find the Bluetooth device I want to communicate with? What should I do if other Bluetooth devices cannot connect to my computer? Why is my Bluetooth connection slow? Why can't I use the services supported by the connected Bluetooth device? Page What should I do if I do not hear sound from my headphones or audio/video controller? Optical Discs Why does my computer freeze when I try to read a disc? What should I do if the drive tray does not open? What should I do if I cannot play a disc properly on my computer? Page Page Display Why did my screen go blank? What should I do if I do not see proper images or videos? Why doesn't my screen display a video? What should I do if my screen is dark? What should I do if the LCD brightness of my screen changes? Page What should I do if the external display remains blank? How do I run Windows Aero? Printing What should I do if I cannot print a document? Microphone What should I do if my microphone does not work? How can I prevent microphone feedback? Speakers What should I do if I do not hear sound from the built-in speakers? What should I do if my external speakers do not work? Touch Pad What should I do if the touch pad does not work? Keyboard What should I do if the keyboard configuration is wrong? What should I do if I cannot enter certain characters with the keyboard? Floppy Disks Why doesn't the Safely Remove Hardware icon appear on the taskbar when the drive is connected? What should I do if I cannot write data to a floppy disk? Audio/Video What should I do if I cannot use my digital video camcorder? How do I turn off the Windows startup sound? How do I change the sound output device? Page How do I output the Dolby Digital or DTS sound through an HDMI-compatible device? Memory Stick Peripherals What should I do if I cannot connect a USB device? Trademarks Page Notice