VAIO Care™ 8

    VAIO Care Overview Video

    Keep Your New VAIO® Computer at Peak Performance
    Sony has created the VAIO Care program to help you improve your PC's performance. This program is designed to:
    • Automatically monitor your computer's performance on a regular schedule.
    • Provide summary reports of your computer's health.
    • Locate troubleshooting advice, information, and instructions.
    • Troubleshoot performance issues.
    • Provide access to easy-to-use diagnostic tools.
    • Cross-reference to helpful information located in VAIO Help and Support or online.
    • Access the Internet to keep the VAIO Care program updated.
    • Connect to valuable services that support a problem-free computing experience.
    VAIO Care Features
    The VAIO Care program features, along with its tools and reports, are intended to supplement regular care and maintenance of your computer. When used with regularly scheduled care and maintenance, the VAIO Care service features support:
    • New user interface for easier transaction completion.
    • Premium tools powered by iolo technologies to maximize your PC performance.
    • Properly configured antivirus, antispyware, firewall, and related security programs.
    • Routine backups of your data to secure locations.
    • Use of support services to consult a Sony-qualified technician about major issues.
    Improved User Interface
    • Quickly identify with the security, performance and system settings on your PC.
    • Access messages for important information and notices.
    • Easily find help and troubleshooting for common issues.
    • Learn about VAIO software.
    • Access Advanced tools for diagnostics, maintenance and repair.
    • Contact Sony Technical support.
    • Register your new VAIO Computer.
    • Find help to common usage and maintenance questions with our Hot Topics.


    Premium Tools Powered by iolo® Technologies
    Sony has partnered with iolo technologies to provide even more services to improve your computers speed and reliability. Take advantage of the VAIO Care Premium Tools discount exclusively available for VAIO Care users.
    • Program Accelerator™ - The program accelerator re-aligns files on your hard drive to speed up the performance of your Windows operating system and programs running on your VAIO PC.
    • Memory Mechanic™ - Defragment your RAM to release resources held by closed programs and speed up your computers response time.
    • Net Booster® - Optimize Internet connection settings for increased speed and stability.
    Learn more


    Recovery and Restore
    The VAIO Care program's Recovery & Restore feature provides assistance in the event your computer experiences major issues.

    The options described in Recovery & Restore are:
    • Restore Windows - You can reset your computer to a previous, working state without affecting saved files.
    • Install Applications and Drivers - You can reinstall the original, factory-installed software programs and drivers.
    • Create Recovery Disc - You can create recovery media that can restore your system and settings, in the event of a hard disk drive failure or other system malfunction.
    • Recover Computer - You can restore your hard disk drive back to its original, factory-installed configuration. This option erases all personal files, customized system settings, and software installed after the purchase of the computer.

    VAIO Software Help and Training
    Sony provides unique software on your VAIO computer. You can explore software options and customize your VAIO software.

    Troubleshooting
    Troubleshooting provides options to locate and resolve issues. You can view possible solutions using the VAIO Advisor feature, which analyzes items that are not working properly. You can run software or hardware diagnostics if you need help locating the cause of an issue.
    VAIO Assist Button

    Certain VAIO® computers are equipped with an Assist button. This button enables immediate access to VAIO Care's troubleshooting features.

    When your computer is not performing well or an issue occurs:

    1. Press the physical Assist button on your computer when the computer is powered on.

    2. Notes:

      • The Assist button is usually located above the keyboard with the word Assist on it. For more information see the VAIO User Guide.
      • If you press the Assist button when the computer is powered off, the computer will boot to the VAIO Recovery Environment and display recovery options instead of opening VAIO Care.

    3. The VAIO Care program starts and the Troubleshooting section is displayed.

    5. Use the VAIO Advisor or Diagnostic features to resolve your issue.


    Contact Support
    • Your system's information, such as model name or serial number, required for all technical support or services.
    • Access to contact Sony's online technical support by telephone, chat, or e-mail.


    FAQs

    How can I use the VAIO Care application to improve the performance of my PC?
    • Step 1 (Tools Included)
      Use the following VAIO Care Tools to improve the performance of your VAIO computer:
      • Disk defragmenter Indicates the number of disk fragmentation issues.
      • Disk cleaner Lists the volume of potential issues on your built-in storage device.
      • Registry defragmenter Indicates the number of registry issues.
      To open the VAIO Care Tools, open VAIO Care and click Performance.

    • Step 2 (Diagnostic)
      To run the Diagnostics Tools, open VAIO Care, click Advanced Tools and then click Diagnostics.
      Hard drive issues can reduce overall performance of the computer. Use the Hard Drive diagnostic tool to determine if hard drive issues exit. Contact Sony Technical support if the tool reports hard drive issues.
      Note: The Hard Drive diagnostic may not be available for a computer with a solid sate hard drive or a RAID configuration.

    • Step 3 (Premium Tools)
      Use the following VAIO Care Premium Tools is the performance of the computer does not meet your expectation after using the VAIO Care Tools:
      • Internet performance Shows the need for optimization of your Internet connection settings.
      • Program accelerator Identifies misaligned and fragmented files that slow down your computer's performance.
      • Memory defragmenter Identifies fragmentation and leaks in your computer's RAM.
    How can I view Hot Topic for more How To information regarding my VAIO computer?
    The VAIO Care application includes a dedicated section called How Topics that is located in the Messages box that includes the most common How To information To open the Hot Topics section, open VAIO Care and then click Messages.
    Does the VAIO Care application include any information about the pre-installed software?
    Yes, the VAIO Care application includes a section called Learn about VAIO Programs that provides a description of what each specific Sony application does and it also may include a short tutorial.
    To access this feature, open the VAIO Care application, click VAIO Software and then click Learn about VAIO Programs.
    Note: This feature may not be included on all VAIO computers.
    How can I use the VAIO Care application to detect if I have a hardware issue?
    The VAIO Care application provides the following diagnostic to help determine if there is a hardware issue with your VAIO computer.
    • CD drive.
    • DVD drive
    • Battery
    • Memory
    • CPU
    • Hard Drive
    To access the diagnostics tools, open the VAIO Care application, click Advanced Tools and then click Diagnostics. Notes:

    • The Hard Drive diagnostic may not be available for a computer with a Solid Sate hard drive or a RAID configuration.
    • Some VAIO computers may not include the Battery Health Checker tool.
    How can I contact a Sony Support Representative to resolve a specific issue that could not be resolved using the VAIO Care application?
    The VAIO Care application includes a chat feature that allows a user to interact with our Sony Support Representative. Click Contact & Support and then click Contact Sony.

    Note: An internet connection is required to utilize the chat functionality.

    Does the VAIO Care application provide a community where I can share my experience or even post an issue with my VAIO computer?
    The VAIO Care application provides a direct link to the Sony Forum where the you can share your experience and also request additional information from other VAIO computer users.
    To access the Sony Forum, open the VAIO Care application, click Contact & Support and then click On the Web.
    My VAIO computer did not come with recovery media. How can I create recovery media using the VAIO Care application?
    VAIO computers no longer come with recovery media. You can create your own create media using the VAIO Care application.
    To access the feature, open the VAIO Care application, click Advanced Tools, click Restore and Recovery and then click Create Recovery Media.
    I upgraded the VAIO Care application from version 6.x to 8.x and now I am unable to locate the One Click Report.
    The One Click Report is still present in the VAIO Care 8.x version.
    To access the feature, open the VAIO Care application, click Advanced Tools and then click History.
    How can I obtain the model and serial number of my VAIO computer?
    To access your model and serial number, open the VAIO Care application, click About Your VAIO and then click System Information.
    What if I have an issue with purchasing or activating the VAIO Care Premium Tools (by iolo)?

    If you have the following or similar questions, use the contact information below:


    • What if I didn't receive my activation code?
    • What if I lose my activation code?
    • What if I want a refund?

    Important: If you haven't received an email with an activation code, be sure to check your Junk Mail folder for an email from iolo Technologies. Your email program may not have recognized the iolo address and automatically moved it to that folder.


    If you have confirmed that you have not received an email with an activation code, have lost or discarded the email, or wish to request a refund for your purchase, please contact IOLO Technologies directly for further assistance.


    • iolo Technologies Email Support: support@avangate.com
    • iolo Technologies Telephone Support:
      • US/Canada: 888-247-1614
      • Other Countries/International: +31 88 0000008