Sony VAIO PCGFX210 PCGFX215 User Guide

							VAIO® Notebook User 
Guide
PCG-FX210
PCG-FX215 
						

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2
Notice to Users
© 2001 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights 
reserved. This manual and the software 
described herein, in whole or in part, may not 
be reproduced, translated, or reduced to any 
machine-readable form without prior written 
approval.
SONY ELECTRONICS INC. PROVIDES NO 
WARRANTY WITH REGARD TO THIS 
MANUAL, THE SOFTWARE, OR OTHER 
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND 
HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY 
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF 
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR 
ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH 
REGARD TO THIS MANUAL, THE 
SOFTWARE, OR SUCH OTHER 
INFORMATION. IN NO EVENT SHALL 
SONY ELECTRONICS INC. BE LIABLE 
FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, 
CONSEQUENTIAL, OR SPECIAL 
DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON TORT, 
CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, ARISING 
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS 
MANUAL, THE SOFTWARE, OR OTHER 
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN OR 
THE USE THEREOF.
Sony Electronics Inc. reserves the right to make 
any modification to this manual or the 
information contained herein at any time 
without notice. The software described herein is 
governed by the terms of a separate user license 
agreement.
This product contains software owned by Sony 
and licensed by third parties. Use of such 
software is subject to the terms and conditions 
of license agreements enclosed with this 
product. Some of the software may not be 
transported or used outside the United States. 
Software specifications are subject to change 
without notice and may not necessarily be 
identical to current retail versions.Updates and additions to software may require 
an additional charge. Subscriptions to online 
service providers may require a fee and credit 
card information. Financial services may 
require prior arrangements with participating 
financial institutions.
The International 
ENERGY STA R  O f f i c e  
Equipment Program is an international program 
that promotes energy saving through the use of 
computers and other office equipment. The 
program backs the development and 
dissemination of products with functions that 
effectively reduce energy consumption. It is an 
open system in which business proprietors can 
participate voluntarily. The targeted products 
are office equipment such as computers, 
displays, printers, facsimiles and copiers. Their 
standards and logos are uniform among 
participating nations. 
ENERGY STA R  i s  a  U . S .  
registered mark.
Sony, Handycam, i.LINK, Mavica, Media Bar, 
MovieShaker, PictureGear, VAIO and the VAIO 
logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation. 
Microsoft, Windows Me, Windows Media, 
Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo 
are registered trademarks of Microsoft 
Corporation. AMD, the AMD logo, AMD 
Duron and combinations thereof are trademarks 
of Avanced Micro Devices, Inc.
This product incorporates copyright protection 
technology that is protected by method claims 
of certain U.S. patents and other intellectual 
property rights owned by Macrovision 
Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this 
As an ENERGY STA R  
Partner, Sony Corporation 
has determined that this 
product meets the 
ENERGY STA R  
guidelines for energy 
efficiency. 
						

							3
copyright protection technology must be 
authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is 
intended for home and other limited viewing 
uses only unless otherwise authorized by 
Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering 
or disassembly is prohibited. i.LINK is a SONY 
trademark used only to designate that a product 
contains an IEEE 1394 connector. All products 
with an i.LINK connector may not 
communicate with each other.
All other trademarks are trademarks of their 
respective owners.
Owner’s Record
The model number and serial number are 
located on the bottom of your Sony CLICK TO 
UPDATE ProductName. Refer to the model and 
serial number when you call your Sony Service 
Center.
Model Numbers: PCG-961A, PCG-962A
Serial Number:________________________
Safety Information
WARNING
❑
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not 
expose your notebook computer to rain or 
moisture.
❑To avoid electrical shock, do not open the 
cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified 
personnel only.
❑Never install modem or telephone wiring 
during a lightning storm.
❑Never install telephone jacks in wet 
locations unless the jack is specifically 
designed for wet locations.
❑Never touch uninsulated telephone wire or 
terminals unless the telephone line has 
been disconnected at the network 
interface.
❑Use caution when installing or modifying 
telephone lines.
❑Avoid using the modem during an 
electrical storm. 
❑Do not use the modem or a telephone to 
report a gas leak in the vicinity of the leak.
❑A socket outlet should be as close as 
possible to the unit and easily accessible.
AVERTISSEMENT
❑
Pour prévenir tout risque d’incendie ou 
d’électrocution, garder cet appareil à 
l’abri de la pluie et de l’humidité.
❑Pour prévenir tout risque d’électrocution, 
ne pas ouvrir le châssis de cet appareil et 
ne confier son entretien qu’à une personne 
qualifiée.
❑Ne jamais effectuer l’installation de fil 
modem ou téléphone durant un orage 
électrique.
❑Ne jamais effectuer l’installation d’une 
prise téléphonique dans un endroit 
To change the backup battery, 
please contact your nearest 
Sony Service Center.
Caution - The use of optical 
instruments with this product 
will increase eye hazard. As 
the laser beam used in this 
product is harmful to the eyes, 
do not attempt to disassemble 
the cabinet. Refer servicing to 
qualified personnel only.
For DVD-ROM drive: Danger - 
Visible and invisible laser 
radiation when open. Avoid 
direct exposure to beam.
Caution: To reduce the risk of 
fire, use only No. 26 AWG or 
larger telecommunication line 
cord. 
						

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mouillé à moins que la prise soit conçue à 
cet effet.
❑Ne jamais toucher un fil téléphonique à 
découvert ou un terminal à moins que la 
ligne téléphonique n’ait été débranché de 
l’interface réseau.
❑Soyez très prudent lorsque vous installez 
ou modifiez les lignes téléphoniques.
❑Évitez d’utiliser le modem durant un 
orage électrique.
❑Nutilisez pas le modem ni le téléphone 
pour prévenir dune fuite de gaz vous êtes 
près de la fuite.
❑L’appareil doit être le plus près possible 
d’une prise murale pour en faciliter 
l’accès.If you have questions about this product, you 
can reach the Sony Customer Information 
Service Center at 1-888-4SONYPC; or write to 
the Sony Customer Information Service Center 
at 12451 Gateway Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33913 
or find Sony Customer Service on the web at: 
http://www.sony.com/pcsupport
Regulatory Information
Declaration of Conformity
This equipment has been tested and found to 
comply with the limits for a Class B digital 
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the Rules. These 
limits are designed to provide reasonable 
protection against harmful interference in a 
residential installation. This equipment 
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency 
energy and, if not installed and used in 
accordance with the instructions, may cause 
harmful interference to radio communications. 
Pour changer la pile de 
rechange, veuillez contacter 
votre centre de service Sony le 
plus près.
Avertissement - Lutilisation 
dinstruments optiques avec ce 
produit augmente les risques 
pour les yeux. Puisque le 
faisceau laser utilisé dans ce 
produit est dommageable pour 
les yeux, ne tentez pas de 
désassembler le boîtier. 
Adressez-vous à un agent de 
service qualifié.
Pour les lecteur DVD-ROM: 
Danger : Radiation laser 
visible et invisible si ouvert. 
Évitez l’exposition directe au 
faisceau.
Attention : Afin de réduire les 
risques dincendie, nutilisez 
quun cordon de 
communication N0. 26 AWG ou 
plus gros.
Trade Name: SONY
Model No.:  PCG-961A, 
PCG-962A
Responsible Party:  Sony  Electronics  Inc.
Address: 680 Kinderkamack 
Rd.
Oradell, NJ 07649
Telephone: 
(For FCC-related 
matters only.)201-930-6972 
This device complies with Part 15 of the 
FCC rules. Operation is subject to the 
following two conditions: 
(1) This device may not cause harmful 
interference.
(2) This device must accept any interference 
received, including interference that may 
cause undesired operation. 
						

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However, there is no guarantee that interference 
will not occur in a particular installation. If this 
equipment does cause harmful interference to 
radio or television reception, which can be 
determined by turning the equipment off and 
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the 
interference by one or more of the following 
measures:
❑Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
❑Increase the separation between the 
equipment and the receiver.
❑Connect the equipment into an outlet on a 
circuit different from that to which the 
receiver is connected.
❑Consult the dealer or an experienced 
radio/TV technician for help. 
You are cautioned that any changes or 
modifications not expressly approved in this 
manual could void your authority to operate this 
equipment. 
Only peripherals (computer input/output 
devices, terminals, printers, etc.) that comply 
with FCC Class B limits may be attached to this 
computer product. Operation with non-
compliant peripherals is likely to result in 
interference to radio and television reception.
All cables used to connect peripherals must be 
shielded and grounded. Operation with cables, 
connected to peripherals, that are not shielded 
and grounded, may result in interference to 
radio and television reception.
FCC Part 68
This equipment complies with Part 68 of the 
FCC rules. On the bottom of this equipment is a 
label that contains, among other information, 
the FCC equivalence number (REN) for this 
equipment. If requested, this information must 
be provided to the telephone company.
This modem uses the USOC RJ-11 telephone 
jack.The REN is used to determine the quantity of 
devices which may be connected to the 
telephone line. Excessive RENs on the 
telephone line may result in the devices not 
ringing in response to an incoming call. In 
most, but not all areas, the sum of the RENs 
should not exceed five (5.0). To be certain of 
the number of devices that may be connected to 
the line, as determined by the total RENs, 
contact the telephone company to determine the 
maximum REN for the calling area.
If the terminal equipment causes harm to the 
telephone network, the telephone company will 
notify you in advance that temporary 
discontinuance of service may be required. But 
if advance notice is not practical, the telephone 
company will notify the customer as soon as 
possible. Also, you will be advised of your right 
to file a complaint with the FCC if you believe 
it is necessary.
The telephone company may make changes in 
its facilities, equipment, operations or 
procedures that could affect the operations of 
the equipment. If this happens, the telephone 
company will provide advance notice in order 
for you to make the necessary modifications in 
order to maintain uninterrupted service.
If trouble is experienced with this equipment, 
you can reach the Sony Customer Information 
Service Center at 1-888-4SONYPC; or write to 
the Sony Customer Information Service Center 
at 12451 Gateway Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33913 
or find Sony Customer Service on the web at: 
http://www.sony.com/pcsupport
Repair of this equipment should be made only 
by a Sony Service Center or Sony authorized 
agent. For the Sony Service Center nearest you, 
call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-6972).
This equipment cannot be used on public coin 
service provided by the telephone company. 
Connection to Party Line Service is subject to 
state and possible provincial tariffs. (Contact 
the state or provincial utility service  
						

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commission, public service commission, or 
corporation commission, for information.)
Telephone Consumer Protection Act 
of 1991 (United States)
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 
1991 makes it unlawful for any person to use a 
computer or other electronic device to send any 
message via a telephone facsimile machine 
unless such message clearly contains, in a 
margin at the top or bottom of each transmitted 
page or on the first page of the transmission, the 
date and time it is sent and an identification of 
the business, other entity, or individual sending 
the message, and the telephone number of the 
sending machine or such business, other entity, 
or individual.
In order to program this information into your 
facsimile machine, see your fax software 
documentation.
Telephone Consumer Guidelines 
(Canada)
Please refer to your telephone directory under 
‘Privacy Issues’ and/or ‘Terms of Service.’ For 
more detailed information, please contact:
CRTC 
Terrasses de la Chaudiére, Tour centrale 
1 promenade du Portage, 5 étage Hull 
PQ K1A 0N2.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with 
Canadian ICES-003.
Cet àppareil numérique de la classe B est 
conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY
You can return your unwanted lithium ion 
batteries to your nearest Sony Service Center or 
Factory Service Center.
For the Sony Service Center nearest you, call 1-
888-476-6972 in the United States or 1-800-
961-7669 in Canada.
✍In some areas the disposal of lithium 
ion batteries in household or 
business trash may be prohibited.
Do not handle damaged or 
leaking lithium ion batteries.
Ne pas manipuler les batteries 
au lithium-ion qui fuient ou 
sont endommagées.
Danger of explosion if battery 
is incorrectly replaced. 
Replace only with the same or 
equivalent type recommended 
by the manufacturer. Discard 
used batteries according to the 
manufacturer’s instructions.
Une batterie non conforme 
présente un danger 
dexplosion. La remplacer 
seulement par une batterie 
identique ou de type 
équivalent recommandé par le 
fabricant. Évacuer les batteries 
usées selon les directives du 
fabricant. 
						

							7 INDUSTRY CANADA NOTICE
NOTICE: The Industry Canada label identifies 
certified equipment. This certification means 
that the equipment meets certain 
telecommunications network protective, 
operational and safety requirements as 
prescribed in the appropriate Terminal 
Equipment Technical Requirements 
document(s). The Department does not 
guarantee the equipment will operate to the 
user’s satisfaction.
Before installing this equipment, users should 
ensure that it is permissible to be connected to 
the facilities of the local telecommunications 
company. The equipment must also be installed 
using an acceptable method of connection.
The customer should be aware that compliance 
with the above conditions may not prevent 
degradation of service in some situations.
Repairs to certified equipment should be 
coordinated by a representative designated by the supplier. Equipment malfunctions or any 
repairs or alterations made by the user to this 
equipment may give the telecommunications 
company cause to request that the user 
disconnect the equipment.
Users should ensure for their own protection 
that the electrical ground connections of the 
power utility, telephone lines and internal 
metallic water pipe system, if present, are 
connected together. This precaution may be 
particularly important in rural areas.
Caution: Users should not attempt to make such 
connections themselves, but should contact the 
appropriate electric inspection authority, or 
electrician, as appropriate.
NOTICE: The Ringer Equivalence Number 
(REN) assigned to each terminal device 
provides an indication of the maximum number 
of terminals allowed to be connected to a 
telephone interface. The termination on an 
interface may consist of any combination of 
devices subject only to the requirement that the 
sum of the Ringer Equivalence Numbers of all 
the devices does not exceed 5. The Ringer 
Equivalence Number for this equipment is 0.2.
AVIS DE L’INDUSTRIE CANADA
AVIS: L’étiquette d’Industrie Canada identifie 
le matériel homologué.
Cette étiquette certifie que le matériel est 
conforme aux normes de protection, 
d’exploitation et de sécurité des réseaux de 
télécommunications, comme le prescrivent les 
documents concernant les exigences techniques 
relatives au matériel terminal. Le Ministère 
n’assure toutefois pas que le matériel 
fonctionnera à la satisfaction de l’utilisateur.
Avant d’installer ce matériel, l’utilisateur doit 
s’assurer qu’il est permis de le raccorder aux 
installations de l’entreprise locale de 
télécommunication. Le matériel doit également 
être installé en suivant une méthode acceptée de 
raccordement. L’abonné ne doit pas oublier 
The battery pack used in this 
device may present a fire or 
chemical burn hazard if 
mistreated. Do not 
disassemble, heat above 
212°F (100°C) or incinerate.
Dispose of used battery 
promptly.
Keep away from children.
La manutention incorrecte du 
module de batterie de cet 
appareil présente un risque 
dincendie ou de brûlures 
chimiques. Ne pas démonter, 
incinérer ou exposer à une 
température de plus de 100°C. 
Évacuer promptement la 
batterie usée. Garder hors de 
portée des enfants. 
						

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qu’il est possible que la conformité aux 
conditions énoncées ci-dessus n’empêche pas la 
dégradation du service dans certaines 
situations.
Les réparations de matériel homologué doivent 
être coordonnées par un représentant désigné 
par le fournisseur. L’entreprise de 
télécommunications peut demander à 
l’utilisateur de débrancher un appareil à la suite 
de réparations ou de modifications effectuées 
par l’utilisateur ou à cause de mauvais 
fonctionnement.
Pour sa propre protection, l’utilisateur doit 
s’assurer que tous les fils de mise à la terre de la 
source d’énergie électrique, des lignes 
téléphoniques et des canalisations d’eau 
métalliques, s’il y en a, sont raccordés 
ensemble. Cette précaution est particulièrement 
importante dans les régions rurales.
Avertissement: L’utilisateur ne doit pas tenter 
de faire ces raccordements lui-même; il doit 
avoir recours à un service d’inspection des 
installations électriques, ou à un électricien, 
selon le cas.
AVIS: L’indice d’équivalence de la sonnerie 
(IES) assigné à chaque dispositif terminal 
indique le nombre maximal de terminaux qui 
peuvent être raccordés à une interface.
La terminaison d’une interface téléphonique 
peut consister en une combination de quelques 
dispositifs, à la seule condition que la somme 
d’indices d’équivalence de la sonnerie de tous 
les dispositifs n’excède pas 5. L’indice 
d’équivalence de la sonnerie de ce matériel est 
de 0.2. 
						

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Contents
Notice to Users ........................................................................... 2
1 Welcome ........................................................ 13
Features ........................................................................................ 14
Unpacking Your Notebook ............................................................ 15
Manuals .................................................................................... 15
Software CDs............................................................................ 15
Recovery CDs ........................................................................... 16
Other ........................................................................................ 16
Ergonomic Considerations ........................................................... 17
Notes on Setup ......................................................................... 18
Handling Your Notebook .......................................................... 19
Cleaning Your Notebook ........................................................... 19
Handling the LCD Screen.......................................................... 19
2 Setting Up Your VAIO® Notebook ............... 21
Locating Controls and Connectors ............................................... 22
Connecting a Power Source ......................................................... 27
Starting Your Computer ............................................................... 33
Shutting Down Your Computer .................................................... 35
3 Using Your VAIO® Notebook .......................37
Using the Keyboard ...................................................................... 37
Combinations and Functions with the Windows Key ................ 38
Indicators ................................................................................. 39
Lights ....................................................................................... 40
Using the Touchpad ..................................................................... 42
Using the Floppy Disk Drive.......................................................... 44
Using the Optical Drive ................................................................. 47
Playing a DVD........................................................................... 49 
						

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Notes on CD and DVD media ....................................................51
Using PC Cards .............................................................................52
To insert a PC card....................................................................52
To remove a PC card .................................................................54
Using a Second Battery Pack ........................................................55
To insert a second battery pack ................................................55
To charge the second battery pack............................................56
To remove the second battery pack ..........................................57
Using the Weight Saver.................................................................58
To attach the weight saver ........................................................58
To remove the Weight Saver .....................................................59
Connecting With Another VAIO® Computer .................................60
Power Saving Modes ....................................................................61
Normal Mode ............................................................................61
Standby Mode ...........................................................................61
To activate Standby mode .........................................................61
To return to normal mode .........................................................61
Hibernate Mode.........................................................................61
To activate Hibernate mode.......................................................62
To return to normal mode .........................................................62
Connecting a Phone Line ..............................................................63
Connecting to a Local Area Network (LAN) ...................................64
Setting Up Your Ethernet Connection........................................65
4 Connecting Peripheral Devices .................. 67
Connecting a Printer .....................................................................68
Connecting an External Display .....................................................69
Connecting a TV Display ...............................................................72
Connecting a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Device ..........................73
Connecting an i.LINK® Device......................................................74
Connecting External Speakers .......................................................76
Connecting an External Microphone .............................................77
5 Customizing Your VAIO® Notebook........... 79
Selecting the Display Mode ...........................................................79