User manual SONY PCG-GR214EP laptop notebook - 21 reviews for the SONY PCG-GR214EP Discover the test, trial and comparison with the Laptop & Notebook SONY PCG-GR214EP.

Manual abstract:

models (PCG-GR214EP/MP) only. 15" screen models (PCG-GR215MP/SP) have 87 keys, but the functions are the same. Keys Escape key (1) Descriptions The (Escape) key is used to cancel commands. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 30 Keys Function keys (2) Descriptions The twelve function keys along the top of the keyboard are used to perform designated tasks. For example, in many applications, is the Help key. The task associated with each function key may vary from one application to the other. The key takes an electronic snapshot of the screen and moves it to the Windows® Clipboard. You can then paste the screenshot into a document and print it. The , and keys enable you to make corrections. These keys enable you to move the cursor on the screen. The Application key displays a shortcut menu; pressing this key is equivalent to clicking the right mouse button. Contains the keys found on a typical calculator. Use the numeric keypad area to type numbers or to perform mathematical calculations such as addition and subtraction. Note that you must press the key to activate the numeric keypad. When you do so, the Num Lock indicator illuminates. Several keys are always used with at least one other key: , , and . When held down with another key, the (Control) and (Alternate) keys offer another way to execute commands. For example, in many applications, instead of choosing the Save command from a menu, you can hold down and press (referred to as +). The key is used to produce capital letters or special symbols such as @ and $. The key with the Windows® logo displays the Windows® Start menu; it is equivalent to clicking the Start button on the taskbar. The key is used in combination with other keys to execute commands. Print Screen key (3) Correction keys (4) Navigation keys (5) Application key (6) Numeric keypad area (7) Operator keys (8-11-12) Windows key (9) key (10) ® Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 31 Combinations and functions with the Windows® key Combinations + F1 + Tab +E +F + Ctrl + F +M Shift + +R Fn + + Insert +M Functions Displays Windows Help and Support. Switches the selected button on the taskbar. Displays Windows Explorer. Displays the Search Results window to find a file or folder. This is equivalent to selecting Search and then For files or Folders from the Start menu. Displays the Search Results - Computers window where you can locate other computers. Minimizes all displayed windows. Returns all minimized windows to their previous size. Displays the Run window. This is equivalent to selecting Run from the Start menu. Displays the System Properties window. This is equivalent to double-clicking the System icon in the Control Panel. Combinations and functions with the key Combinations/ Feature + (ESC): Standby Functions Puts the system into Standby mode, a power management state. To return the system to the active state, press any key. Toggles the built-in speaker on and off. + (F3): speaker switch Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 32 Combinations/ Feature + (F4): speaker volume Functions Adjusts the built-in speaker volume. To increase volume, press + and then To decrease volume, press + and then Adjusts the brightness of the LCD. or or + (F5): brightness control To increase lightness intensity, press + and then To decrease light intensity, press + and then or or + / (F7)*: switch to the external display Toggles between the LCD, external display (connected to the monitor connector) and both LCD and external display. This function can only be used by the first user to log in. It will not work under a second user account. Toggles between the LCD and both LCD and TV. This function can only be used by the first user to log in. It will not work under a second user account. Provides for the lowest level of power consumption. When you execute this command, the states of the system and of the peripheral devices are written to the hard disk and the system power is turned off. To return the system to its original state, use the power switch to turn on the power. + / (F8)* + (F12): Hibernate * First you need to connect your external display, then you turn on your notebook. When you connect your external display when the computer is already on, you cannot use the key combination + or +. Some functions are not available until Windows® is launched. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 33 Indicators Indicator Power Battery 1 Battery 2 Memory StickTM Functions Power on: lights green. Standby mode: flashes umber. Indicates the status of the battery inserted in the battery bay on the left side of the computer. Indicates the status of the battery inserted in the battery bay on the right side of the computer. Turns on when the Memory StickTM is in use. Turns off when the Memory StickTM is no longer in use. Light hard disk On Data is read from or written to the hard drive. Do not enter Standby mode or turn off the computer when this indicator light is on. Turns on when the number keys in the numeric keypad are active. Off The hard drive is not being accessed. Num Lock Turns off when the alphanumeric character keys in the keypad area are active. Caps Lock Turns on when the characters appear in uppercase as Turns off when the characters appear in lowercase you type. The key lowers the case of typed as you type (unless you hold down the key). characters when Caps Lock is on. Turns on when the screen scrolls differently (depends on the application, no effect in many applications). Turns off when the information moves across the display normally. Scroll Lock Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 34 Using the touchpad The keyboard contains a cursor-pointing device, your touchpad (1). You can point to, select, drag, and scroll objects on the screen using the built-in touchpad. Action point click double-click right-click Description Slide one finger on the touchpad to place the pointer (2) on an item or object. Press the left button (3) once. Press the left button twice. Press the right button (4) once. In many applications, this action displays a shortcut menu. Slide one finger while pressing the left button. Move your finger along the right edge of the touchpad to scroll vertically. Move your finger along the bottom to scroll horizontally. (The scroll function is available only with applications that support a touchpad scroll feature.) drag scroll Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 35 Using the Jog DialTM Your computer is equipped with a Jog DialTM with Back button on your computer, near the touchpad. You can turn and/or press the Jog DialTM to scroll the window, select software, adjust the internal speaker volume, etc. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 36 The Jog DialTM window is always displayed on the screen. This window has two modes: Launcher mode and Guide mode. The Jog DialTM window is in Launcher mode until you start an application or the Jog DialTM window becomes active. When an arrow appears next to an item in the Jog DialTM window, you can display a submenu for that item by selecting it and pressing the Jog DialTM. The Jog DialTM window switches to Guide mode when you start an application and its window becomes active. Depending on the application, the Jog DialTM window displays different commands that you can select or execute by rotating or pressing the Jog DialTM. You can adjust the size of the Jog DialTM window or close it. To display the Jog DialTM window, doubleor in the system tray. click Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 37 To use the Jog DialTM in Launcher mode, proceed as follows: 1 2 Click the Jog DialTM window or press the Jog DialTM while pressing the key to switch to Launcher mode. Turn the Jog DialTM to select an item, then press the Jog DialTM. The Jog DialTM window switches to Guide mode, and shows the Jog DialTM function. 3 4 5 Turn or press the Jog DialTM to use the Jog DialTM function. To select another item, switch to Launcher mode and repeat this procedure. Use the Back button on the right of the Jog DialTM to go back to the previous state of the Jog DialTM window. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 38 Software supporting Jog DialTM If the Sony software supporting the Jog DialTM control is active, you can use Jog DialTM control functions allocated to each software. Software not supporting Jog DialTM If the software in use does not support the Jog DialTM control, you can scroll the window or adjust the window size. Using the CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive Depending on your model, your computer is equipped with a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive. To insert a disc, proceed as follows: 1 2 Turn on the computer. Press the eject button (1) to open the drive. The tray slides out. 3 Place a disc in the middle of the tray with the label side facing up until the disc clicks into place. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 39 4 Close the tray by pushing it gently. When the computer is in Standby or Hibernate mode, you cannot insert or remove a disc. Be sure to seat the disc firmly over the disc drive hub fingers. If you do not seat the disc firmly, you could damage your disc drive and you may not be able to open the tray. When you finish using a disc, wait until the LED indicator turns off and then press the eject button to remove the disc. If the disc does not come out when you press the eject button, go to My Computer. Select the drive, click the right button of your mouse and select Eject. If it still does not work, turn off the computer and insert a thin, pointed object into the manual eject hole. Using the CD-RW function Depending on your model, your notebook is equipped with a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. To burn CDs, you can use CD-RW and CD-R discs: The CD-RW (CD-ReWritable) disc is a data memory medium that can be used to write, erase and rewrite a program or other data. The CD-R (CD-Recordable) disc is a data memory medium that can be used to write a program or other data, but once only. Before writing to a new CD-RW, you must first format the disc. If you do not format the disc, your computer will not recognize it. To make a CD-R's data readable on a CD-ROM drive, you need to close the session when you eject it. To complete this process, follow the instructions included with your software. Only use circular discs. Do not use discs with any other shape (star, heart, card, etc.), as this may damage the CD-RW drive. Do not strike or shake the computer while writing data to a disc. For optimal writing speed, deactivate the screensaver before writing data to a disc. To achieve optimum performance when writing data on a CD-RW disc, follow these recommendations: Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 40 Memory-resident disc utilities may cause unstable operation or data loss. Deactivate these utilities before writing data to a disc. When using a software application to burn CDs, be sure to exit and close all other applications. Exit anti-virus software before writing data to a disc. Never touch the surface of the disc. Fingerprints and dust on the surface of a disc may cause writing errors. Using the DVD function To achieve optimum performance when playing DVD-ROM discs, you should follow these recommendations. You can play DVDs using the DVD-ROM drive and the WinDVD software. See the help file on the WinDVD software for details. Your computer should not be connected to the port replicator while playing DVD movies or using DVD applications. Close all open applications before playing a DVD-ROM movie. When playing DVD movies on battery power, set the power management profile to DVD. With other profiles, the movies can be choppy. Do not switch power saving modes while playing a DVD video. If the virus checker is active, you need to disable it. Do not use resident disc utilities or resident utilities to speed up the access of discs, because they may cause the system to become unstable. Make sure that the screensaver is deactivated. Depending on the display setup properties you selected, you may use the + command to expand the screen to full screen size. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 41 Region codes indicators are labeled on the DVD discs to indicate in which region and on what type of player you can play the disc. Unless a '2' (Europe belongs to region '2') or 'all' (this means that you can play this DVD everywhere in the world) is labeled on your DVD disc or on the packaging, you cannot play the disc on this player. Do not try to change the region code settings of the DVD-ROM drive. Any difficulties caused by changing the region code settings of DVD-ROM drive are out of warranty. When a DVD video disc is inserted in the DVD-ROM drive, you cannot toggle between LCD and TV by pressing +. When a TV is connected, a part of the video screen will not appear with the factory settings. Adjust the display resolution to 640x480. Using the weight saver The weight saver protects the multi-purpose bay when it is empty, and secures the second battery or the CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive or the DVD-ROM drive when they are installed in the multi-purpose bay. To attach the weight saver, proceed as follows: 1 If another device is in the multi-purpose bay, remove the device. 2 Slide the weight saver in the direction of the arrow until it clicks into place. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 42 To remove the weight saver, proceed as follows: 1 2 Slide the multi-purpose bay release lever on the bottom of the computer in the direction of the arrow. Remove the weight saver. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 43 Using PC Cards Your computer includes two PC Card slots (1-2). PC Cards allow you to connect portable external devices. Inserting a PC Card To insert a PC Card, proceed as follows: 1 Insert the PC Card into one of the PC Card slots with the front label facing up. 2 Gently push the PC Card slot into the connector. The PC Card is automatically detected by your system. The Safely Remove Hardware icon appears in the system tray. Some devices may not function properly if you repeat Returning to Normal mode from Standby mode or Hibernate mode. The computer will return to its original state if you restart it. The PC Card slots can accommodate (at the same time) two Type I, two Type II or one Type III PC Card. These slots are compatible with Card Bus ports. Use the lower slot for PC Type III cards. Some PC Cards may require you to disable idle devices when using the PC Card. You can use Sony Notebook Setup to disable devices. Be sure to use the most recent software driver provided by the PC Card manufacturer. If an "!" mark appears on the Device Manager tab in the System Properties dialog box, remove the software driver and then reinstall it. You do not need to shut down the computer before inserting or removing a PC Card. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 44 Do not force a PC Card into the slot. It may damage the connector pins. If you have difficulty inserting a PC Card, check that you are inserting the PC Card in the correct direction. See the manual supplied with your PC Card for more information on use. For some PC Cards, if you alternate between Normal power operation and Standby or Hibernate power management modes while the card is inserted, you may find that a device connected to your system is not recognized. Reboot your system to correct the problem. Do not carry your notebook while touching the head of a PC Card, as pressure or shock may damage the connector pins. Removing a PC Card Follow the steps below to remove the PC Card while your computer is on. If it is not removed properly, your system may not work properly. If you want to remove a PC Card when your computer is off, skip steps 1 to 7. To remove a PC Card, proceed as follows: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the system tray. The Safely Remove Hardware dialog box appears. Select the hardware you want to unplug. Click Stop. In the Stop a Hardware Device dialog box, confirm that the device can be safely removed from the system. Click OK. A dialog box appears, explaining that it is safe to remove the device. Click OK. Click Close. Push the PC Card release button so that the release button pops out. Push the PC Card release button a second time so that the PC Card pops out. 10 Gently take hold of the Card and pull it out of the slot. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 45 If you unplug the PC Card from the computer when it is still turned on, your system might crash and you might lose data that you did not save before. Before you remove the PC Card, click the PC Card icon in the taskbar and close the card. Close any applications that use the PC Card before removing the card. Otherwise, data may be lost. While the card is inserted, your computer may not enter the Hibernate power management mode. It may enter Standby mode. It is recommended that you remove the card when your computer enters Hibernate mode by pressing the + keys. Some PC Cards or their functions may not be compatible with this computer. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 46 Using the Memory StickTM Your VAIO notebook is designed to support the Memory StickTM. The Memory StickTM is a compact, portable, and versatile device especially designed for exchanging and sharing digital data with compatible products. Because it is removable, it can be used for external data storage. Use the flash memory technology to download anything that can be converted into digital data, such as pictures, music, words, sounds, movies and photographs. Foreseen as the universal data storage device of the future, the Memory StickTM can already be used with an ever-increasing range of compatible products, including: Audio systems Visual devices VAIO products CLIE handhelds Mobile phones. The generic Memory StickTM, coloured blue. The MagicGate Memory StickTM, coloured white. You can purchase Memory SticksTM from the Sony Style website (http://www.sonystyle-europe.com), or from your local Sony dealer. There are currently two different types of Memory StickTM: Why Memory StickTM? Sony's vision is to expand the world of communication, promoting the portability of digital data. The Memory StickTM is the resulting medium, through which digital devices can be instantly connected. With it, you can download data from any compatible device, then transfer it to another in a single and instant transfer. The main advantages of the Memory StickTM are its: Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 47 Compactness: with dimensions of just 21.5 mm (W) x 2.8 mm (H) x 50 mm (D), compatible products can also be small, lightweight and attractive in their design. Capacity: Its data capacity far exceeds that of a floppy disk. Security: its lock option means you can protect your data from accidental erasure. Versatility: memory capacity ranges from 4MB up to 128MB (the equivalent capacity of 88 floppy disks). Reliability: by way of protecting the hardware and its contents, the number of terminals is reduced to only 10 pins. This, and the overall robust structure of the stick, gives it a longer lifespan than other storage devices. Durability: the same Memory StickTM can be used thousands of times. Forward compatibility: the Memory Stick'sTM current format is designed to be compatible with future products and higher capacity Memory SticksTM. The future of Memory StickTM Memory Stick'sTM potential is virtually unlimited, with the number of compatible products increasing rapidly in both personal and professional spheres. The introduction of the 256 MB and 512 MB Memory StickTM is anticipated in 2002, and a 1 gigabyte capacity Memory StickTM is expected in 2003. Additionally, the native transfer speed of the Memory StickTM will be increased to accommodate the increasing capacity. By the end of 2002, Memory Stick'sTM transfer speed will be increased by eight times to a maximum of 20MB/sec. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 48 Generic Memory StickTM The original Memory StickTM, blue in colour, can be used to record image data taken with digital still cameras, etc. or data from the PC. With it, you can record, play back and transfer various kinds of data at any given time. Because it is easy to remove and transport safely, you can use Memory StickTM anywhere by inserting it into any compatible device to transfer and share the information you have saved. For you, this means you can expand the capabilities of your VAIO computer in the following scenarios: With your still digital camera, share your holiday pictures instantly by e-mail. From your handycam to your VAIO, make the most of your captured moments with the VAIO's movie editing tools. Carry pictures on you by copying image files from the Internet to your VAIO and then to your CLIE handheld. With your voice recorder, add your voice to e-mails so your tone is never misunderstood. The blue Memory StickTM is currently available with a 4MB, 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB or a 128MB memory (the equivalent capacity of 88 floppy disks). Generic Memory SticksTM cannot be used with the Memory StickTM Walkman, or with data that is protected by copyright. Using your notebook Sony Notebook User Guide nN 49 MagicGate Memory StickTM The MagicGate Memory StickTM, white in colour, records PC and image data just like its blue counterpart; the difference is it uses the MagicGate copyright protection technology. With this type of Memory StickTM, also called the MG Memory StickTM, you can enjoy the following features: 32MB, 64MB and 128MB capacity versions. Storage of up to 120 minutes of audio data. Download and save: digital music pictures movies, and more. So that you further distinguish a MagicGate Memory StickTM from a generic one, look for: the logo printed on it and a protruding dot located on the back. Combine data files to add music to your home movies, for example. Transfer and share data between several digital products. MagicGate Copyright Protection Technology. SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative) Compliance. ...

SONY PCG-GR214EP Reviews

Download your SONY PCG-GR214EP user guide or user manual