official "X205 Owner's Thread"

Just as a warning since you are a graphic designer, you'll need heavy color calibrations on your screen to get it to look correct. I've got a X205-S9359 and the only thing that I don't like about it is the screen's color temperature. It has a strong blue tint to it. Mine is color calibrated, but the video card resets it when you run full screen 3d apps (like games). But if you just leave your notebook plugged into an external monitor all the time, then you should be fine.

Hardware wise, nothing out there can beat the price of the S9359 for what you get.

 

Circuit City, surprising enough, actually had a 9359 on display that I got to play around with. Definitely gotta have the 1680x1050 over the 1440x900 on the 9349. There was one unopened box left. Very, very tempting to take that beast home with me but, I prefer not to buy until I've already replaced the $2300 in my savings account.

Is there any way to get a clean copy of Vista Ultimate without all the bloatware other than pirated copies and using your legit license key?

Also, in regards to whoever mentioned upgrading the RAM. Is notebook memory even available at 800MHz (PC6400)? I can't seem to find any. I never understood why desktop memory is available at such faster speeds and why notebooks even have 800MHz FSB if the memory is only running at 667?

 

Thanks for the heads up! I tried to look for a blue tint at the store but, with all the flourescent lights... it was hard to tell. Screen looked great from what I could see there. Looked specifically for a blue tint but couldn't find any. Is this something you've found true in all 9359's or just yours? I haven't seen anyone else mention it yet.

 

There's a driver disk and image disc. If you got the '49 model then you should get a vista anytime upgrade cd. I do believe that you can do a clean install from that - jjust enter the cd key from the sticker on your notebook.

Also, there's a thread all about this with some good information. You might check that out.

 

Thanks for the heads-up. If nothing else, there is a link somewhere around here for purchasing a physical windows DVD that we can use our license key on.

 

Hi guys. Add me to the list for the X205-S9359 owners

I am trying to get rid of the bloatware that came with the machine. I see this TOSHIBA Value Added Package in the list. Is it safe to uninstall this? What is it?

Thank you

 

Welcome to the club...

Description: The Toshiba Value Added Package includes Toshiba Common Modules as well as Power Saver, Accessibility, Fnesse, Toshiba Utilites, Toshiba Password Utility, Flash Cards, PC Diagnostic, Buttons Support.

I don't know if this is really necessary. I've uninstalled everything except the disc creator (handy, lightweight app) and the software for the modem.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Hmmm... It sounds like it's necessary I think. I am not really sure

 

The only I've noticed is that the media player quick launch key doesn't work... other than that - I haven't noticed any difference. Except, of course, that the whole system is faster

 

I have had my X205-S9359 for 4 weeks now and I love it! I am lucky (or at least so I read) and have the Samsung (SEC4750) and not the LG display. I run BioShock (retail), Halo 2, Battlefield2 (on external montor due to 59hz issue), Call of Duty 2 and WoW, all maxed or close to it with no issues.

I plan to replace both of the HDs with 7200rpm models when budget permits. Also, I would like to replace the memory with 800mhz RAM.
I do have a question: If I replace the RAM will the X205 run it at 800mhz?

 

Unfortunately no, the Santa Rosa platform only accepts RAM at 667 Mhz speeds. Buying 800mhz RAM will only cause it to downclock to 667.Save your money and dont spend for the extra mhz.

 

The only advantage of using 800mhz modules on Santa Rosa platform, is that you will gain some performance even at downclocked speeds, because the modules will use the SPD timings for that especific frequency. On a 800mhz module, the timings on 667mhz(downclocked from 800) are normaly lower than on an 667mhz native module. So that lower timings on 667mhz will welp get some more performance on the memory sub-system.

 

What's the point of Santa Rosa's 800MHz FSB if it can't utilitize 800MHz memory (other than the benefit mentioned above)?

 

Next question, I mentioned in a previous post but I don't think it was answered...

Can anyone that actually owns an S9359 confirm that the max resolution it supports on an external monitor is 1680x1050? If not... where's that leave everyone with 20"+ monitors with a native 1920x1200 resolution? Or a 1080p TV? It absolutely blows me away that such a high end notebook with an HD-DVD drive AND an 8700M GPU wouldn't be able to output 1920x1200 to an external monitor while most ultra light 12 and 13 inchers can.

I can deal with 1680x1050 on the notebook's screen itself, but it's got to output 1920x1200 on external monitors.

 

Go back to the store, grab the X205 and stick it next to a Fujitsu. The screen quality will become immediately noticable.

 

I can confirm that i've hooked my laptop via the HDMI port directly into my 56" DLP HDTV and moved the slider one notch from 1680x 1050 to 1920x1080 and it was fine. full HD played bioshock on it no more lag on there than i would get on the built in monitor. 2,073,600 = 1920 x 1080 pixels
1,764,000 = 1680 x 1050 pixels
309,600 pixels more it did'nt look too much different if not fuzzier cause my TV only does 1080i not full 1080p then again there is'nt many affordible consumer electronic TV's at that size that are 1080p
So quit whining about full HD it will run it no prob.

 

anyone remember running windows 95 running 800x 600 that was amazing at the time compared to the 640 x 480 of windows 3.1 and DOSshell

 

Geek squad has a Toshiba tune-up where they take off all the bloat, tweak it, and install trend micro virus and some spy sweep program.

Does anyone know if this is worth it and what if anything on the 9359 is worth keeping?

Also if I could get some help on how to tell which screen I have, Samsung or LG.

Thanks,

Rich W.

 

If you're more comfortable having someone do it for you then I don't suppose its a bad idea. But they're not doing anything that you can't easiy do. If you got the Vista anytime upgrade DVD then you can use that to do a clean instal yourself - Instructions all over the net.

 

Hi guys a quicky question, I called Toshiba and asked if the Hard drives in the X200/X205 were in Raid0, I was told most likely yes.

is it true? can you see raid options from your bios screens?

If this is true, then the laptop even with only 5400rpm drives will beat a laptop with a single 7200rpm drive (such as the Rock/Sager of similar spec but with only single drives)

I am extremely tempted by the toshiba even though it looks a lot thicker than the competition.

and I soo need to upgrade my Acer5672 (ATI X1400) so that I can play FEAR and BIOSHOCK at decent framerates

 

Hi!

Toshiba´s specs of the X200 don´t say anything about a possibility of RAID configurations.

But in the Intel´s specs about the PM965 chipset says that supports Intel® Matrix Storage Manager 7.0, but it will need ICH8M-E southbridge to support RAID. I don´t know if X205 have the ICH8M-E or the ICH8M(that don´t have the RAID feature).

If someone that have the X205 can see witch southbridge it haves, using Sandra or Everest, or even Device Manager in Windows.

 

I just found right now in Toshiba´s Portuguese site, that X200(same as X205) have the ICH8M chipset, so on X205 don´t exists possibility of RAID configuration.

I guess that X205 users will have to content with single HDDs...

 

On my X205-S9359 CPU-z shows the southbridge as an Intel 82801HBM(ICH8-ME, not a typo, ICH8-ME is how is shows, not ICH8M-E so is that different?). I assume this RAIDable. On my desktop system (an ASUS mb) I have nvidia RAID and there is a boot-time menu you enter (using PF10) to config the RAID. My X205 doesn't have a boot-time option to config RAID that I can see. So this my be a BIOS update/fix to enable that option.

 

Thanks for checking into it guys, basically the easiest way to tell too is if you can use both drives as one big partition.
or create one partition that is greater than the size of one of the drives.

it would be a shame to have two drive capability in a machine and not have raid,

I will try and speak to someone at toshiba who can tell me for certain,

 

This looks to me like CPU-Z miss ID'ed the chipset. There is no 82801HBM ICH8-ME. There is the 82801H BM ICH8M, and the 82801H EM ICH8ME. So I assume RAID is not an option on the X205 at this point. Please let us know if you find out for sure!!

 

Ok, I just found and ran the Intel chipset ID Util from http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProductID=861&DwnldID=13799 Here is what I found .

Chipset

Detected Chipset:
Intel(R) GM965 Express Chipset

Chipset Components

Memory Controller:
82GM965

I/O Controller:
Intel(R) 82801HB/HR I/O controller hub (ICH8M)

Integrated Graphics:
Intel(R) 965GM Graphics And Memory Controller Hub(GMCH)

 

thats such a shame, I was really hoping for Raid there, its a bit of a deal breaker, since I am not really bothered about an HD-DVD player. and the Rock/Sager is a little more stylish.

and I can't get the Geforce 8800m out of my head, rumours that Dell are releasing one very soon, its the edge we all need for these new games.

thanks again for all your efforts guys, this forum has Again passed on the best information and advice.

 

I just got my funds back from Dell and ordered my Toshiba. Now I have to wait for that to come in. I'm happy though...

 

My friend works for geek squad and the disk your talking about is'nt specific to Toshiba it's a set of tools they use called Customizer, and MRI and they do much more than that and make the computer very speed. unfortunately there's much less tools availible in vista than in XP. Its not worth it to pay to do it but if you can get your hands on a pair of those disks...

 

Yes, how I could get some help on how to tell which screen I have, Samsung or LG.??

Also, my mouse seems to be behaving erratically when plug into the usb in x205.
I tried with 2 different brand mouse already, and both become erratic after a while...

Also, some dvd just wont play... the drive keep spinning and spinning making a wierd noise...but just wont play and I can't stop the drive and open it!!!
any advise to stop it?

 

@Planet
It might sound like a noob answer but, have you checked to make sure your palm isnt brushing the touchpad, I was driving myself mad with my laptop for a day or so before it twigged, I came from a desktop straight to it, and hadnt used a laptop with a mouse plugged in before

Some people on these forums have mentioned one or two problems with the HD-DVD drive, there is a possibility that its developed a fault, if its locking in the disk and not letting you take it out, the eject mechanism could be broken.

Good luck

 

Hmm I think the mouse has got to do with the default vista drivers...

And the DVD disk, I figure for some dvd it was trying to check for region coding or DRM something...and keep spinning because it was not compatible?? maybe PowerDVD would better?

 

How do you guys use the 2 different hard disk??
Seems all programs and user's profiles and downloads are stored in C: by default...

 

That's the OS doing that. It will install all programs on the same drive as it's on but when you install a new program, you can change it to install on the other drive. The program will continue to use the other drive for storage. But if you use a music program like iTunes or Yahoo Jukebox, you may have to check the library settings to make sure that it's not defaulted back to the C drive. You can just change it to use the other drive for the library.

 

The only way to get that disc out is to reboot your system and hit the eject button before the Windows logo comes up. Your drive is bad and Toshiba has to replace it. There is no software fix for it. I have the same problem and I am waiting to have it fix. Hopefully, you can find a good Toshiba Support Center near you and they will let you keep the NB until the good drive comes in. That's how mine is handling it and I still get to use the NB and protect it.

 

You have to go into Control Panel/Mouse and check mark the box that will disable the Touch Pad when the system detects an external mouse but this will also disable your ability to use the short cut buttons on the Touch Pad. But if you don't check mark that box, you still can use the Touch Pad and the external mouse. Driving you and the system crazy.

 

Hi guys, just got my X205-S9359.
the part number is PSPB9U-019004.

Anyone having a different number - perhaps differentiating between a LG or Samsung screen? when purchased?

 

I have the same part number on my X205-S9359, PSPB9U-019004. I have the Samsung. Toshiba support (and a Toshiba service center here in San Antonio, TX) both had me do:
Start, right click Computer. click Properties, select Device Manager, expand Monitors, double click the Generic PnP Monitor to open its properties, select the Details tab, and, finally, select Hardware Ids from the drop down. Mine says MONITOR\SEC4750. That is the Samsung. If it has LPL0060 (i think its 0060) its LG.

 

So what's the difference between those two types of screens?

 

hmm some disk played perfectly ok...
but not some.
seems more like driver??

 

No it's not a driver issue. The drive will play everything perfectly except HD disc. It's a hardware issue.

 

What's the difference if you have the Samsung screen or the LG screen? Is one better then the other. Is the 59s getting the Samsung and the 39s getting the LG?

I have the 59 and I have the Samsung.

 

Greetings,
I have just gotten my first high end computer for gaming. I have seen a lot of comments about tweaking/maxing out the computer for games -- I'm a novice at this. Any suggestions on tweaking/maxing out the X205 and what not to do. Thanks

 

Actually I have that setting checked and I can use the short cut buttons when my external mouse is plugged in. I just can't turn the touch pad off with the button on it.

 

What is your part number? Anyone with the same part number also cannot play HDDVD??

 

Oooh, I just put in for a price match to Costco's new price for my lappy!
$1699.99 This just keeps getting better and better...

 

I heard a nasty rumor that you can play your Playstation or XBox through the laptop. Is this true? If so,........how?

 

Thru the Audio/Video In ports on the TV tuner.

 

I tried that but no joy. No joy at all.

 

Omg where did you buy your x205 - how to get a price match?
The X9359 is now just $2199!! + 5 FREE HDDVD...got it 1 week too early and I pay $200 more + no free 2 hddvds worth another $150!