SONY VAIO

2012-04-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

15 Must-Have Free Software Program For Your PC

2012-03-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

1. Firefox / Chrome (Web Browser)

Both Firefox and Google Chrome are excellent browsers. They are both fast, user-friendly and known to be secure. So, which one do you choose? The rule of thumb here is that you should use Firefox if you’re looking to add additional features (i.e. ad blocker, password manager, video downloader, page translator etc.) to your browser.

Ads by Google

You can see all add-ons for Firefox at https://addons.mozilla.org/. There are extensions for Google Chrome as well, but the choice is rather limited. See, 10 Cool Extensions for Google Chrome.

2. AVG Anti-Virus (Anti-virus Software)

AVG Free Anti-Virus is the most popular free anti-virus software in the world. It’s also the most downloaded software program according to Download.com.

Most of the MakeUseOf authors use AVG and we highly recommend it to others. It’s easy to use, consumes a relatively small amount of system resources and auto-updates itself with virus definitions on a daily basis. Install it once and it will keep your system secure without your intervention.

For those of you who frequently shop online and do regular online banking, AVG recommends AVG Internet Security. While it’s not free, it does offer complete Internet Protection that will keep you safe even from advanced online threats.

3. Auslogics Disk Defrag (Disk Defragmenter)

Auslogics Disk Defrag is a must-have free PC maintenance tool that was designed to cure system sluggishness and prevent crashes caused by disk fragmentation. Windows already comes with its own disk-defragmenter but Auslogics Disk Defrag is considerably faster and much more efficient.

It’s extremely simple to use, does not require any analysis phase and is faster than most of the other disk defragmentation software.

While there are several other free disk defragmenters, Auslogics seems to be the defragmenter of choice according to the poll results on MakeUseOf, Lifehacker and mega tech sites like CNET.

4. Glary Utilities (System Maintenance)

Glary Utilities is a free system maintenance tool for protecting, cleaning, repairing, and speeding up your PC. It comes with a one-click maintenance option that automatically runs all optimizations and repair jobs with a click of a button.

But the best thing about Glary Utilities is that it integrates over 15 other useful tools that nearly every computer user is likely to make use of. These are:

- Uninstall Manager
- Startup Manager
- Memory Optimizer
- Context Menu Manager
- Registry Defrag Tool
- Track Eraser
- File Shredder
- File Undelete
- File Encrypt/Decrypt Tool
- Disk Space Usage Analysis
- Duplicate File Finder
- Empty Folder Finder
- File Splitter and Joiner

Highly recommended!

Please note, it’s highly recommended that you create a System Restore point when using system maintenance tools like Glary Utilities. This is a precaution to ensure that you can always revert your PC to an earlier state in case something goes wrong unexpectedly.

Note: During the installation process make sure to uncheck the Ask Search toolbar.

5. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Spyware Removal)

[update: In the original list we recommended the Spyware 360 as a primary tool for fighting spyware. But then we found out that Security 360 was actually using the definition library of Malwarebytes.]

Malwarebytes currently ranks among the top 10 most downloaded software on Download.com. It’s a very simple tool that does an important job, that is protecting your computer from spyware, hijackers, keyloggers and other kind of malicious craplets.

What makes Malwarebytes standout from the pack is its huge library of threats to protect against. That’s exactly what it makes so effective when it comes to detecting spyware that other spyware scanners miss. This same library made the earlier recommended Security 360 a powerful tool.

Malwarebytes may not be as feature-laden as say Spybot Search and Destroy (another good spyware removal tool), which has a ridiculous number of tools, but it is a very lightweight alternative with good spyware coverage.

There are both free and premium versions. The only difference between the two is real time protection. With real-time protection, Malwarebytes will alert you about the spyware before it’s even able to install itself on your system.

6. IZArc (Universal Archiver / Extractor)

One archive utility to rule them all. This archiver suppots both popular (ZIP, RAR, ACE, 7-ZIP, TAR etc.) and less popular (IMG, ACE, TZ, GZ, TAZ etc.) archive formats.

Basically this unpacker/archiver gives you everything you get with other popular archivers (ex. Winzip, Winrar etc.) but with additional features and support for a huge number of archive formats. It can decompress archived folders in over 40 formats.

7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, B64, BH, BIN, BZ2, BZA, C2D, CDI, CAB, CPIO, DEB, ENC, GCA, GZ, GZA, HA, IMG, ISO, JAR, LHA, LIB, LZH, MBF, MDF, MIM, NRG, PAK, PDI, PK3, RAR, RPM, TAR, TAZ, TBZ, TGZ, TZ, UUE, WAR, XXE, YZ1, Z, ZIP, ZOO

That is to say, it supports pretty much every format you’re likely to come across.

There is something else, you can also use the IZArc utility to open CD image files like ISO, BIN, CDI and NRG. Do you know of any other free archiver that can do that?

Note: When installing IZArc make sure to uncheck the “recommended” option to install PalTalk.

7. Google Picasa Software (Photo Management)

Picasa automatically finds all the photos on your PC, wherever they are, and organizes them in seconds. It’s an excellent photo manager, editor and viewer for your computer.

With Picasa not only you can nicely organize your photos but also fix common problems (i.e. red eyes), add cool effects and even browse photos by people in them. Yes, it includes face recognition!

Plus one really cool thing about it is that regardless of changes you make to your photos on Picasa the original version of each photo always preserved.

Features include:

- create video slideshows and photo collages from your photos.
- organize photos based on the people in them.
- browse photos by folders, albums, people.
- geotag your photos on Google Maps.
- one-click fixes for common problems like red-eye, color, and lighting.
- 12 cool effects to make your best photos look even better.

You can find out more about Picasa by watching this Youtube video. The Google team compiled a getting started guide for Picasa. Highly recommended for new users.

8. doPDF (PDF Printer)

Almost everyone once in a while needs to convert documents to PDF. The doPDF is the easiest tool that does exactly that. It installs a virtual printer on your computer that you can select using the print option from any program on Windows.

Whenever you need to convert a web page, Word document, Excel spreadsheet, photo or pretty much anything else to a PDF file just go to the print option in your program and select doPDF from the ‘Printer’ drop-down menu.

You can set the resolution to anything from 72 dpi to 2400 dpi, and the “printed” files are text searchable.

9. Memento (Post-It Notes)

Chances are you have never heard about this program before. Memento is a simple bare-bones post-it notes program for your desktop. It’s better than anything else out there because it’s extremely simple and yet a very effective tool.

Whether you want a program to keep track of your tasks or quick note taking, Memento can help. It’s very intuitive to use and consumes very few system resources. Highly recommended!

It’s an excellent program – and I’ve compared many other free ones! I have been using this for the last 5 years and recommend it to everyone. The very first MakeUseOf article was about this app .

It’s also easily transferable from one PC to another, it saves all your notes in Memento.notesfile that is stored in the My Documents folder.

Features:

- double click memento icon on the taskbar to create a note
- show/hide notes on the desktop
- keep notes expanded or closed
- notes always remain on top of other windows
- position notes anywhere you like
- instant autosave
- notes are resizable
- randomly makes each note a new color
- make notes transparent

10. xVideoServiceThief (YouTube Video Downloader)

Almost everyone is on Youtube these days. And the fact that Youtube has more searches than Yahoo is good indication of this. The only issue with Youtube is that there is no option to download videos so that you can watch them on your computer, PSP, iPhone, mobile phone, iPod etc.

Fortunately there are lots of free software for that, and my favorite is xVideoServiceThief. Apart from downloading videos, it can automatically convert the downloaded video file to another format.

xVideoServiceThief can convert videos to several formats, including AVI, MOV, MPEG, DIVX, MP4 and several others.

Moreover, xVideoServiceThief works with other sites as well, not only Youtube. It can also download videos from Yahoo Video, Google Videos, Metacafe, Dailymotion, CollegeHumor etc.

11. Mozy (Backup)

Backups are very important! Here on MakeUseOf we have published dozens of articles explaining why you should always keep a fresh backup of important data. And Mozy is the perfect program for that. It’s an online backup and recovery service that allows you to select files and folders on your computer and safely back them up online.

It’s fully automated, just set it once and it will do the backups without bothering you again. What’s even better, whenever you make changes to individual documents or files within selected folders, your changes will be replicated on your backup copy as well. So your backup always stays up-to-date.

In the case of file corruption, accidental deletion or hardware failure, you may easily restore your backed up files from the web to the original computer or any another computer, be it a Windows or Mac.

Mozy offers both free and premium accounts (only $4.95/month). The only difference between those two is that free account comes only with 2GBs of storage space. It should be more than enough for backing up important files and documents. On the other hand, if you want to backup your music library, photos, videos or maybe an entire drive then we recommend signing up for a premium account.

(Note: Discount for MakeUseOf users. When signing up for premium account use ‘ MAKEUSEOF’ (all caps) promo code to get 10% off.)

12. Digsby (Multi-protocol Instant Messenger)

If you chat on a regular basis and are active on social networks then this is a must-have program for you. There is so much this app does that it’s hard to explain it all in a few lines. Firstly, it’s a universal instant messenger that allows you to chat with your friends on MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Google Talk, Facebook, Myspace, ICQ and Jabber, all from a single messenger.

Secondly, it allows you to read and reply to your emails. That’s right folks, whether you have a Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail account you can receive and reply to emails all from Digsby’s slick interface. Currently Disgby works with Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, AOL/AIM Mail, POP Email, IMAP Mail accounts.

And that’s not all, you may also monitor alerts and set status message notifications for Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and LinkedIN accounts. Pretty cool, huh!

Other less important but still noteworthy features include:

- chat history (with search option)
- file transfer history to keep a log of sent/received files
- a widget for site owners to chat with visitors

(Note: Pay close attention when installing Digsby on your computer and make sure to deselect (selected on default) the additional components you don’t need. Plus, once the app is installed go to the preferences window and disable Digsby research.)

13. VLC Media Player (Video Player)

With over 67 million downloads so far and roughly 7 downloads per second it’s one of the most popular video players around.

VLC is a highly portable multimedia player supporting most audio and video formats and can play pretty much any video files you throw at it, including physical media like DVDs. Plus it doesn’t need any external codec, program or codec pack to work.<

The VLC can be used both by beginners as well as expert users for working with video files.

The player can also play Youtube videos, convert video files, play subtitles, etc.

14. Foobar2000 (Music Player)

The foobar2000 is an advanced audio player for Windows and supports pretty much all popular audio formats. This is an audio player of choice for many audiophiles (the reader polls on MakeUseOf and Lifehacker confirm that). But what’s in it for you? Well, leaving aside its rich feature set, there are two things that make it stand out from the crowd.

First, when it comes to the appearance of the player, it’s HIGHLY customizable. There is NO OTHER audio player out there that can be customized as much. The Foobar2000 lets you change everything starting from buttons, layout, background colors, menus to visualization details.

But the best thing about this gem, it needs very little of your system resources when compared to Windows Media Player, iTunes or Winamp.

The Foobar2000 has also plug-ins for iPod support and things like lyrics and album art. There is also a portable version if you prefer to carry it on your thumbdrive

15. ImgBurn (CD / DVD Image Burner)

There are many reasons we need a simple, fast way to burn disks. ImgBurn is a CD/DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-ray burning application that is fast, lightweight, and completely free.

With ImgBurn you can:

- backup your data or media files to DVD.
- backup your DVD movies to your PC.
- create Audio CDs from any music files such as MP3, WAV.
- create a duplicate copy of any DVD or music CD
- create video discs (DVD / HD DVD / Blu-ray) playable in your DVD player

ImgBurn supports a variety of image formats and almost all types of discs, so you don’t need to look any further for your disc burning needs. There is also a portable version that you can carry with you on your USB drive. For additional details see the MakeUseOf ImgBurn reviewhere.

Sony Vaio Z - Official Commercial

2012-03-12T06:32:00.001-07:00

Install Linux Mint on Your Windows Computer or Netbook

2012-03-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

Would you like to try out the popular Linux Mint OS on your Windows computer or netbook? Here’s how you can do it even without a CD/DVD drive with the Mint4Win installer.

Linux Mint

Linux Mint is an increasingly popular distribution of Linux, and many users have found it more user friendly and convenient than other versions. Mint is based on Ubuntu, and as such includes an excellent installer that lets you install it directly from Windows. You install it just like a standard Windows program, and can uninstall it from Command Prompt. The installer is only available in a ISO disk image file, though, so it can still be difficult to install on a computer without a CD/DVD drive such as a netbook. But, with a little trick, you can use the Windows installer for Mint on any PC, no DVD drive required!

Setup Virtual CloneDrive

Linux Mint is only available as an ISO file, so we’re going to mount the ISO file in a virtual CD Drive. We recommend Virtual CloneDrive for this, so if you don’t already have it installed, download it (link below) and install as usual.

You may be prompted to install drivers during the Virtual CloneDrive setup; click Install to complete the installation.

Install Linux Mint in Windows with Mint4Win

Now download the latest version of Linux Mint from the link below. Select the i386 Live CD edition.

Choose a download mirror near your location, and save the ISO file to your computer.

Once the download is finished, right-click on the ISO and select Mount (Virtual CloneDrive).

Now, browse to Computer, and open the virtual DVD.

Run the mint4win program located in the CD image.

In Windows 7, this installer worked fine, but in one test on a Vista system we received the error message below. If you see this, simply click Continue as the installer still worked fine.

When the installer opens, click Install inside Windows.

Please note: DO NOT click Demo and full installation, as this will not work correctly if the CD is simply a mounted ISO file.

Select where you’d like to install Linux Mint, your preferred language, username, and password, and the Installation size you want.

Note: that Linux Mint is installing as a normal Windows application, so it will not overwrite any of your files. Click Install when everything’s entered.

Linux Mint will now be extracted from your disk image and setup on your computer. This may take a few minutes depending on your computer’s speed.

When the install is finished, you’ll be asked to reboot your computer. Save any work you have open, and select Reboot now.

Finishing Linux Mint Setup

When your computer reboots, you’ll notice a new screen showing options for Windows and Linux Mint. Windows will load by default, but to finish setting up Linux Mint, press the down arrow on your keyboard and select Linux Mint. Press the Enter key to continue.

Linux Mint will detect your hardware and set it up.

It will then finish installing the OS and setting everything up. This took about 15 minutes in our test. Once it’s finished, your computer will automatically reboot; remember to select Linux Mint at the boot screen again.

Getting Started with Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a nice looking Linux distro that makes it easy to get up and running. It includes popular programs such as Firefox and Pidgin, and supports multimedia codecs and Flash Player directly after installation.

The first time you run it, you can quickly learn your way around Linux Mint from the startup dialog. This includes links to tutorials, features, and more.

Linux Mint is very easy for Windows users, as the main Mint menu is quite similar to the Windows 7 Start Menu. You can search for programs and more directly from the Mint menu, just like in Windows 7 and Vista.

Mint automatically detected our WiFi network, so we just had to click on the network icon in the system tray and select the network to log on.

Unfortunately, it didn’t include drivers for our Nvidia graphics card, but when we tried to enable advanced graphics effects, it automatically found and offered to install them. ClickEnable and enter your administrative password, and the drivers will install and let you take full advantage of your hardware.

This works similar to the way you install proprietary drivers in Ubuntu, so you can check out our article on Installing Proprietary Drivers in Ubuntu for more info.

Linux Mint is easy to use, so have fun and try out what you can do in Linux Mint!

Changing Boot Options

By default, Mint4Win will leave Windows as the default operating system, and will give you 10 seconds at boot to choose to boot into Linux Mint. To change this, boot into Windows and enter Advanced system settings in your start menu search.

Here click Settings under Startup and Recovery.

From this dialog, you can select the default operating system and the time to display list of operating systems. You can enter a lower number to make the boot screen appear for less time.

Or, if you’d rather make Linux Mint the default operating system, you can select it from the drop-down menu.

Uninstall Linux Mint

If you that you don’t want to keep Linux Mint, you can easily uninstall it just like you would any other program installed in Windows. Open Control Panel, select Uninstall a program, and then browse to the Linux Mint entry. Click Uninstall/Change in the toolbar.

Confirm that you want to uninstall Linux Mint. The uninstall process is very quick, and once it’s finished your computer will be back the same as it was before you started.

Conclusion

Linux Mint is an easy to use version of Linux that is great for beginners. If you’re used to using Windows, you may have an easier time finding your way around in Linux Mint than in other distros such as Ubuntu. Since you can install it just like a normal Windows Program, it’s quick and easy to give it a try and even remove if you don’t like it, and no DVD drive’s required.

Neat & Classy

2012-03-01T04:35:00.003-08:00

News - it's a new section in our blog, check it out!

2012-03-01T02:51:00.003-08:00

News - it's a new section in our blog, check it out!

Move your imagination

2012-03-01T01:47:00.002-08:00

With the purchase of select VAIO PCs comes an added bonus at no charge: the Sony Imagination Studio. This pre-installed bundle includes powerful software applications for easily enhancing and sharing your music, photos and movies. Turn your video shoots into Hollywood-style movies. Make your own original music tracks or create remixes and mash-ups of your favorite songs. Burn DVDs or Blu-ray Disc media (select models) and share your creations. Also accompanying the Imagination Studio Signature Edition is Adobe Acrobat 9 Standard Edition to help increase your productivity

2012-02-27T04:11:00.001-08:00

2012-02-24T03:10:00.002-08:00

Portable yet powerful.

VAIO mobility laptops are primed for portability. Slim, lightweight and durable with big-time battery life, these mobile machines deliver the get-up-and-go your active lifestyle demands, plus the power and performance to tackle any task.

Sony's got you covered.

Sony stands behind every VAIO PC with a manufacturer's warranty that offers excellence and peace of mind. Need extra assistance? Try Premium Services tech support—we'll even come to you. Pick an Extended Service Plan with accidental damage protection to help safeguard your investment, or opt for in-home installation to get off to a great start.

Sony VPC-Z11 - Frequently Asked Questions

2012-02-19T05:56:00.000-08:00

Question: I have read an article about the i7 using way more power than the i5. Should I stick with the i5?
Answer: The rumors about i7 using significant more power have been proven wrong. Intel has confirmed that the i7 will have just a slightly increased power consumption (according to the higher clock speed), which will result in a slightly decreased battery life (in terms of minutes).

Question: Is the large capacity battery either heavier or bulkier than the standard?
Answer: Both

Question: Will the SSD wear out quickly and will I suffer from performance degradation and stuttering?
Answer: Usually it won't and you won't

Question: Do the SSDs support TRIM?
Answer: Yes they do, but the (drivers for the) RAID controller don't. This means that there is no TRIM support for the built-in SSD yet. As soon as there is TRIM support for the Intel RAID drivers (which is expected) there will be TRIM support for the built-in SSD.

Question: Oh my gosh - no TRIM - i'm doomed.
Answer: No you aren't. The SSD has an internal mechanism (garbage collection) to maintain performance which seems to work pretty good.

Question: I do not even know what TRIM is.
Answer: Don't worry

Question: Will I get dual, triple or quad RAID?
Answer: It depends on the overall capacity and the place you have ordered your notebook

Question: I need more storage. Can i replace the optical drive to add another SSD / HDD?
Answer: Yes, you can - with some limitations. \

Question: So this won't work for me. Can i at least upgrade the built-in SSD?
Answer: Yes, you can - but only with another Sony SSD. They use a proprietary form factor and connector and there aren't any known third-party drives that fit. You can get the drives (besides other replacement parts) via Sony Parts or your local Sony service provider. Be aware that you have to disassemble the notebook to replace the SSD.

Question: Can I upgrade the memory by myself?
Answer: Yes, you can - there are two memory slots available which can be accessed without disassembling the notebook. Be aware that your 4 GB memory might be either 1 x 4 GB or 2 x 2 GB; in the latter case you will have to replace both modules to get 8 GB.

Question: Where can i find the advanced options in the BIOS menu?
Answer: You have to reflash a modified BIOS to access the advanced options.

Question: Is there USB3 support? Will we see it somewhen?
Answer: There is currently no USB3 support out of the box. If you need USB3 connectivity you have to get an USB3 ExpressCard adapter. Nobody knows if and when there will be USB3 support - but you should not expect it within the next year.

Question: I have found some defect / dead pixels on my screen. Is there anything I can do?
Answer: Sony states that displays having less or equal than 7 (1600 x 900 displays) resp. 10 (1920 x 1080 displays) dead pixels cannot be seen as 'defect', i.e. they are not covered by warranty and they won't be replaced. You can try to fix the pixels by yourself, return your notebook within the deadline for returning goods or try to find an individual agreement with Sony (unlikely). However there are very few reports about dead pixels, so you do not have to expect having dead pixels when buying this notebook.

Question: Why does my TPM not work?
Answer: Models pre-Z13 sold in the US do not have a TPM (Z13 do), but there are models with TPMs available in other countries (Europe for example). The US models do have at least a socket for a TPM on-board, but there is no known working solution for user-added TPMs by now.

Question: Can I use multitouch gestures with the built-in touchpad?
Answer: Yes, you can by using Synaptics multitouch drivers (in case you did a fresh install) and/or two-finger-scroll.

Question: Can i run Linux on this notebook?
Answer: Yes, you can. Except brightness control using the hotkeys everything should work fine.

Question: Will the palmrest wear out quickly? I have even seen pictures on that.
Answer: Usually it won't - at least not more quickly than any other palmrests out there. The complaints you have heard are mostly due to exceptional use.

Question: I'm still unsure about this wear out stuff - what can I do?
Answer: Get some kind of protective cover. The most mentioned product here is a DIY set from BestSkinsEver, which has to be custom made to fit the notebook itself and the palmrests.

Question: How do i remove those nasty stickers?
Answer: Just pull them off gently by using something that won't scratch (fingernails, dental floss) and use the sticker itself to remove the adhesive left behind. The definition of "won't scratch" of course contains "pressure" and "intensity". Never ever use some kind of abrasive or an eraser for example. It might also help to warm the stickers a little bit using a hairdryer.

Question: Is the fan really that annoying?
Answer: It depends on your definition of 'annoying'. Most people don't find it that nasty - others can't live with the slight noise you can hear. You won't find it out for yourself without trying it.

Question: Will there be a refresh within the next ... months?
Answer: There is was minor refresh in mid june (Z12), but no hardware changes, just different preconfigured models and additional CTO options. There was another refresh in end sep (Z13) with updated CPU options. Likely there might be a refresh within the next 3 to 6 months and no 'new' Z within the next 36 months, but keep in mind that these numbers might turn out to be completely wrong.

Question: Where can i find updated graphics card drivers supporting hybrid graphics?
Answer: With the release of the Z13 the drivers got updated to 190.24 / 2021. In addiontion, there are community-build260.63 / 2022 drivers, which can be considere fully working for most users.

Question: Where can i find updated graphics card drivers to have Optimus support? Will there ever be working drivers?
Answer: There aren't any fully working drivers yet.. The Z11 complies with all the hardware requirements for Optimus, so - yes, we might see Optimus support somewhen.

Question Are there any differences in the chassis material used for the various color options (especially premium carbon fiber)?
Answer: No. The premium carbon fiber is still plastic. The only difference you're paying for is the finish.

Question: I think the answer to one of your questions is just not correct. Should I tease you for that?
Answer: You can if want to, but it would be better to post what you think is correct so i can update this article.

Question: I'm reading the same stupid question over and over again in one of the other threads. I wish it would be listed somewhere.
Answer: Just post it (preferably including the answer) here so i can update this article.

Question: Must have been a hard time to find out all that stuff. You are awesome!
Answer: I'm just collecting and summarising. I do not claim any credit to all the stuff written here. There are a lot of people trying to work out stuff - these are the awesome guys you should thank. I'm sorry that i do not list them here, because as soon as you start to you are going to forget someone and i do not want someone to feel offended.

HOW TO CREATE A BACKUP DISK FOR A SONY VAIO

2012-02-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

Sony’s Vaio products are sold with Windows. Unlike other manufacturers, Sony integrates drivers software along with Windows operating system and Sony Apps in a special partition on the HDD to offer the possibility of recovering or repair the software problems without using any optical disks or other external devices. So, in case problems occur it is easy to restore your Vaio System to factory settings using only a software tool named VAIO Recovery Center.

VAIO Recovery Center allows you to create backup points and restore your windows, to create hardware diagnostics, or you can have the possibility of reinstall programs or drivers, wipe and erase data, creating recovery disks or erase all data and restore your entire system to factory settings… and you can do that with just 2-3 clicks.

As I said above, Vaio systems package do not include recovery discs but Sony provides the application needed to create them. Recovery discs are used when the system does not work properly or it does not work at all. So, it is strongly recommended to have, besides VAIO Recovery Center software, the recovery discs.

To create your Vaio Recovery Disks you have to follow some really simple steps.

1. Open VAIO Recovery Center from Start ->All Programs -> VAIO Recovery Center -> VAIO Recovery Center

2. Select Create Recovery Discs from the right menu that hit Start.

3. Next

4. Create disks, at your choice – 2 DVD or one Double Layer DVD than click Next.

That should be all. You have to insert DVD in your optical drive and VAIO Recovery Center Tool will do the job.

2012-02-11T12:09:00.001-08:00

How to Boot a Sony VAIO to Safe Mode

2012-02-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

Safe Mode is a feature found in all versions of the Windows operating system. When you start the computer in Safe Mode, Windows loads only the drivers and devices essential for operation. Programs that normally start automatically when you boot your Sony VAIO will not load. Safe Mode is designed to allow users to troubleshoot the system. This is especially useful if your VAIO has become infected with a virus or other malicious program. In Safe Mode you can locate and remove a virus that might be difficult or impossible to remove normally.

Step 1

Power on the computer or restart it if it's already on.

Step 2

Tap the "F8" key repeatedly as the computer restarts. Eventually you will see the Windows Advanced Options menu.

Step 3

Use the down arrow key to scroll to the entry that says Safe Mode.

Step 4

Press "Enter" to resume booting Windows into Safe Mode. While you are in Safe Mode the words "Safe Mode" will be displayed in each corner of the screen.

Step 5

Return to normal mode by clicking the "Start" button and selecting Restart. If the Windows Advanced Options menu appears again, use the arrow keys to scroll to Start Windows Normally and press "Enter."

check out VAIO Y album

2012-02-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

2012-02-04T06:39:00.001-08:00

Whether you're streaming your favorite TV shows or sharing photos and home videos, the VAIO® Y laptop lets you view content on your compatible HDTV at an incredibly high level of resolution. An HDMI® output delivers both your video and audio to compatible TVs and displays via a single cable (sold separately), providing the optimal digital connection.

2012-01-31T05:31:00.001-08:00

VAIO Y series, PERFECTLY PORTABLE.

2012-01-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

Whether you're looking for a lightweight laptop for frequent travel or just need a compact PC within easy reach around the house, the Y Series PC is a great option at only 3.23 pounds. Its thin profile and compact 11.6" screen size make it a cinch to tote or easily slip in and out of carrying cases.

VAIO L Series, ALLURING DESIGN

2012-01-26T16:19:00.000-08:00

The L Series PC is wall-mountable², meaning you can hang it on the wall in your bedroom, kitchen or office for a slick, space-saving computing experience. A wireless keyboard and mouse come standard with the L series allowing you to work comfortably free from the added restraint of tangled cords. When not mounted to the wall, the L Series features a modern-minded, adjustable, V-shaped stand that helps you get that "just right" viewing angle. Grab the stand and adjust it to create your optimal angle, or decrease the slant for space-saving, straight-on viewing

VAIO Z series, GET ATTACHED.

2012-01-24T03:12:00.000-08:00

The available Power Media Dock delivers the horsepower your day demands via one unique and familiar port. A powerful AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics card with 1GB VRAM allows for premium visual quality and intense HD performance without huge demands on the CPU. Includes optional slot loading Blu-ray Disc player, USB 3.0 port, HDMI out and more

VAIO L Series , Imagine what can you do

2012-01-23T02:07:00.000-08:00

Select L Series come with Imagination Studio Multimedia Edition software free of charge to make creating HD movies, mixing music you've recorded and finding ways to share your creations easier than ever. Edit HD video with award-winning Vegas Movie software and check out hundreds of built-in video and audio effects. Record, edit and sweeten live audio on your home computer with Sound Forge or use ACID Music Studio to turn your L into the ultimate home studio. After you've achieved the perfect mix, burn CDs, DVDs or format files to share online and load onto your favorite portable players.

Pre-installed software.

2012-01-22T05:43:00.000-08:00

Buy a select computer directly from the Sony Store and get an extra perk: complimentary pre-loaded software to spark your creativity.

Imagination Studio^™ – produce an HD movie, mix music you've recorded and so much more
Adobe^® Bundle – includes Photoshop^® Elements 8.0 and other great tools to unlock your creativity.
VAIO Media Gallery^™ – easily navigate inviting menus to explore your favorite content and forgotten favorites
Picture Motion Browser – having fun with photos is a snap. Get instantly organized with smart sorting features

Picking the right laptop for your needs

2012-01-21T03:39:00.001-08:00

View it in your HDTV

2012-01-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

Now it's easy to wirelessly stream content to your HDTV with Intel Wireless Display 2.0. Enjoy your favorite online TV shows, movies, videos and photos from the comfort of your couch. Best of all, you can send it wirelessly to your TV in up to full 1080p HD and 5.1 surround sound

SONY VAIO

15 Must-Have Free Software Program For Your PC

1. Firefox / Chrome (Web Browser)

2. AVG Anti-Virus (Anti-virus Software)

3. Auslogics Disk Defrag (Disk Defragmenter)

4. Glary Utilities (System Maintenance)

5. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Spyware Removal)

6. IZArc (Universal Archiver / Extractor)

7. Google Picasa Software (Photo Management)

8. doPDF (PDF Printer)

9. Memento (Post-It Notes)

10. xVideoServiceThief (YouTube Video Downloader)

11. Mozy (Backup)

12. Digsby (Multi-protocol Instant Messenger)

13. VLC Media Player (Video Player)

14. Foobar2000 (Music Player)

15. ImgBurn (CD / DVD Image Burner)

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Neat & Classy

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Move your imagination

Portable yet powerful.

Sony's got you covered.

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How to Boot a Sony VAIO to Safe Mode

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

check out VAIO Y album

VAIO Y series, PERFECTLY PORTABLE.

VAIO L Series, ALLURING DESIGN

VAIO Z series, GET ATTACHED.

VAIO L Series , Imagine what can you do

Pre-installed software.

Picking the right laptop for your needs

View it in your HDTV