Official 2012 Sony S Series Owners Thread

Get a piece of paper and write your name, the shipping confirmation number from FedEx, a message telling them to leave it at the door, and your signature. I can't say this will work 100% because I got lucky and was home when mine was delivered, but I called FedEx when I thought I wasn't going to be home and they told me that an indirect signature was fine.

 

Took the plunge now that the 12gb free upgrade is available again, I should have my nice new S15 in the next couple of weeks

 

Don't forget that Sony is one of the original founders of HDMI and thus they don't need to pay any premiums to use it, in fact these companies do not need to pay premiums to use HDMI: Hitachi, Matsua Electric Industrial (Panasonic/National/Quasar), Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson (RCA) and Toshiba, since they are the founding members of HDMI.
But they receive royalties from other companies that use HDMI. At least that's what I think.
But it is strange for Apple to include HDMI in their MBPr. It's safe to say sony won't go below 1.3, in fact the playstation 3 itself is version 1.3 and that came from the realms of 2006. I think Sony only said a maximum of 1080p to cover their backs when a user tries to go for a higher resolution and finds out that it doesn't work thus avoiding litigation.

 

I did that. Still it didn't work. Sony control center also only showed 50% of the options it should. Now I did the install from the Sony disks and spent 3 hours uninstalling .

 

THis will not work for an expensive device. Fed Ex will require a actual signature. What you need to do is call your local delivery station and ask them to keep it at the facility for a local pickup. Also leave a note on your door for the driver saying you will pick it up from the distribution center.

good luck

 

Anyone else having trouble with wireless connections?

Most of the time everything is fine, but it has happened three times this week that I can connect to my router, windows gives no error messages (white bars without red crosses or yellow signs) but I cannot surf the web.

Anyone with the same problem? thanks!

PS: Wireless is activated in vaio connecton centre

 

Has anyone else tried 120hz hdmi output? My monitor is cutting out after about 2 minutes with 'not optimum mode' (though it is very finicky with cable length/quality). Oddly 60hz 1080p works which should be the same bandwidth.

Kind of regret not getting something with displayport/thunderbolt now...

 

What resolution are you trying to run it at? Does your monitor support 120Hz?
It might help if you tried nvidia's drivers instead of sony's older ones.

I suppose you can always try VGA to see if it works?

 

Hmm, Im in trouble while trying to clean install win 7 pro to my S.
It has 128GB vaio SSD raid 0 drive.
Trying to use win 7 installation from USB boot drive.
After pressing "install now" it gives me 2 errors.
"a required cd/dvd drive device driver is missing..."
and
"no device drivers were found...."

I have googled for 2 hour now, trying to bypass or find a solution.
Nothing helps.
I already did dispart-->clean disk--> created primary partition -->active on command prompt as well. Did not help.
If i could find a sony raid driver to feed him, then perhaps it would work. Sony support page has only exe files, wich i dont know how to extract.

Also tried to install in uefi mode. With modded windows uefi boot files.
Gives another error and doesnt even start to load windows installation files.

 

This isn't for the actual laptop. It's just for the sheet battery and Vita. That's what FedEx told me an indirect signature is good enough for. Actually. I think you can look at your tracking information and see if it says direct or indirect signature required.

Also, if they won't take your hand-written note, they might just leave one of their officical signature forms on your door that you can sign for them to re-deliver the next day.

 

I suggest checking your TCP/IP settings to see if it is in line with your router settings this can be done by checking the status of your wireless connection first.

 

Finally received my S13A Gunmetal with i7 and 2gb GT640m LE. Gonna do a video review soon enough. Some games too and pictures.

 

PICS! I also ordered the S13A in gunmetal, would love to see what the finish looks like.

Sent from my GT-I9100

 

Just 720p, don't think HDMI can do any higher with 120hz (though it seems to manage 1368x768@120). It's a S23A750D - I use it on 120hz 1080p all the time via displayport to my pc. Couldn't care less about the 3d, but 120hz is gorgeous for gaming and as smooth as 24hz for movies

Sadly no VGA input, and I'm only using the intel graphics so don't think the nvidia driver will help

If only Powerstrip worked on newer intel onboard graphics..

 

Would love to hear and see the Gunmetal! I too am ordering this laptop!

PS: What deals did you get when your purchased it?

 

TCP/IP settings are fine. Connection just goes down after some time browsing the web.

I've just re installed the card's drivers but the problem persists. Restoring the system to two days ago right now...

 

I can take some pictures of the Gunmetal S13P tomorrow when it's better lighting in here. I can say though that it is more purple than I thought.

 

1920x1200 is supported and will work. higher resolutions than that, i'm not sure.

 

120Hz at any resolution needs twice the bandwidth of 60Hz at the same resolution.

EDIT: sorry, i was confused. you were talking about 720p@120Hz vs 1080p@60Hz.

 

go here and download the first option (f6flpy-x64_11.2.0.1006.zip) which is just the driver for Intel Rapid Storage Technology for RAID-mode. then feed it back to Windows 7 installation media.

 

Hmm, well I'm not sure then, I guess you could try updating the intel drivers, but then I'd think optimus would stop working. I'm not sure if HDMI even supports 120Hz, but it should due to the 3D over HDMI thing (1.4) but they don't mention Hz.

EDIT: I've just read that the maximum supported in HDMI 1.4 would be 3D mode -720p @ 120 HZ, but remember sony is moire likely using a 1.3 Hdmi chip. Anyway your're not alone I've had issues with intel drivers before.

 

I tried this as my first thought. Didnt help. Seems outdated, as it couldnt find any drives as a result.

 

Here is a picture of the screen. The difference is really noticeable. Cant efit picture. The screen is impossible to calibrate. the picture shows same video on two screens Dell Ultra sharp ans Sony S monitor.

 

Sony made using a clean OS install a world of hurt. I eventually bypassed all the booting problems no driver issues though and got a clean Windows installed. Couldn't get all the drivers installed correctly for some reason, even though I followed the guide linked in the first post. It seems sony wants you to use their crappy bloatware copy.

 

it does not work. Waste of time. The difference is too much to calibrate it out.

 

I've got a 64GB SDHC in the SD card slot full time for just that sort of thing.

 

Just wondering, should I clean install Win7 or just uninstall the Sonyware?
Also, what is the difference between the 2 variations?

 

Everybody seems to think a clean install is required, but when I got my sony I just uninstalled a couple annoying sony applications, and kept the ones I wanted. So far it has bee working great, and with barely any load on CPU when idling. I don't see what the big advantage of a clean install is, seems like alot of headache.

 

Looks like i need recovery disks now. It seems there is no way to clean install from another windows copy, since it can not find this samsung raid0 ssd at all.

If someone is willing to make recovery media and upload it to somewhere, i would give a huge hug to that person.

It was silly from me not to make one myself before i cleaned the ssd. Now im in trouble.

 

At first I used Paragon SSD Migrate to copy the OE installation to a new OCZ Vertex 3. I've used the app before and it works very well. However, boot times were around the same as with the OE HDD.

Clean install of Win7 and drivers as per the guide in this thread and the machine boots to a settled desktop within 15 seconds.

Well worth it in my opinion.

 

Apologies if asked before, but following such a clean install is it still possible to install any of the Sony software that comes with the laptop? From what I've read there are a number of bits that I may find useful, particularly the Imagination Studio Suite.

I did a clean install with my last laptop (a Samsung) and lost a lot of software/drivers that I could never recover, particularly for the fingerprint reader, and I don't want to make the same mistake again.

 

Another quick question, when I install Win7 onto another HDD/SSD, what do I do next?

I should install BIOS, but how do I get that? I know I have to press F2, but should I download it first and place in an USB?

After I download BIOS, then should I just follow the guide?

PS: From looking at the guide, I don't see where to download the FingerPrint Scanner Software...

 

You can extract them from the recovery partition as detailed somewhere in this thread. It's worth taking an image of the recovery partition if you plan on removing it.

 

Fingerprint software is on the Sony support page for the notebook.

 

Yeah, the gunmetal is SOOO sexy! I mean wow, this look like a professional laptop man. a tiny bit purple inside, but nothing major, still looks metallic even when there is not lots of light. The screen does look good, im coming from a cheap TN 736p acer panel and it's a world of difference. Little grainy though, but its because of the matte finish for sure. The colors and pixel density is epic though for 13''


I had a 100$ rebate with "sonysave" coupon...

I got the 256gb raid0 ssd in it, gonna do some benchmarks!

 

Well crap, no way I can live with that.

 

Shoot eh? That's going to ruin all those times when we want to display a big square of red on the screen..

 

hey supranium! im sorry that this is kinda unrelated but im stuck between getting the asus n56 and sony vaio s 15. I noticed that you had both!! Which one do you prefer and why?

thanks this decision is driving me insane

 

Dude some people make a living displaying big square of red on the screen. This will not be accepted.

 

Sony looks better and its smaller and lighter.
Sony is also way more expensive.
Sony screen is perhaps a bit better for every day use (not photo editing). Only the well known red issue.

Asus is more a bit more poweful.

I bought Sony for myself and my little brother uses the Asus for hes school and photo design.

What supriced me on black S15.
- outside finish is like black 400 sand paper. Literally.
Its good because its not slippery, but its bad because if it gets dirt on it, its hard to clean. Try to clean sandpaper lol.
Asus outside finish is extremely fingerprint happy, but its way easyer to clean too.
Sony keyboard is perhaps equal to Asus, but Sony touchpad is a lot better. Its smoother and clicks are more accurate in feel.
If you carry your notebook a lot, then perhaps get sony. Otherwise Asus is just as good but costs less. Also Asus screen is extremely nice.

----


Im out of ideas, how to install clean windows on this SSD raid 0.
Have tried all options available in internet and what i could think of.
No luck. Installer fails to recognise the SSD.

 

There is definitely a bug in the wireless software. When battery drops below 35% the wireless stops working (I can connect to networks but I won't get any data).

After a full charge and back to 100% & plugged in, everything works as expected. What could be causing this? I have kept the stock installation, but I guess some of the VAIO software is preventing the wireless card from operating as it should.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Hmm, have you tried just taking "load drivers"?

 

Load which drivers?

My smart friend even managed to extract raid drivers from sony exe file, but even this didnt work. Result was still the same. No disk found.

so far i have tried following:

- intel rapid storage drivers
- sony vaio exe unzipped drivers
- deleteing raid 0 and trying to install on splitted partition
- remaking the raid 0.
- changing the boot order
- dvd and usb bootable drives both in legacy and uefi mode
- secure erase (clean all) both to raid 0 as well as separate volumes.
- command prompt premade partitions

Nothing works.

 

What if you clean install onto a normal harddrive, then image the drive and put it onto your ssd?

 

That could work indeed. But for that i need to take notebook apart and put normal drive to ODD bay. Since the sony SSD has different connector on HDD bay.
My odd caddy should arrive very soon. Hopefully already tomorrow.

 

Sure the Asus is cheaper but I think it looks ok on the outside but on the inside it looks absolutely god awful, however I suppose the trade-off for that is it has nice speaker quality, I think it has an external subwoofer. I don't normally care about aesthetics but the interior on that asus - no way.

To be honest I'm sick and tired of smooth piano black object that collect fingerprints and grease, I already have a black iphone, black PSP, black keyboard they all have disgusting fingerprints, I don't bother cleaning them any more because as soon as you use it it becomes dirty again. Plus when you clean it and the dirt kets trapped on the cloth you get micro scratches like my PS3.
Sony uses an anti-glare coating on tier screens rather than being glossy.

Matte surfaces ftw, Thinkpads always had matte surfaces and well they do age well. I dunno I think if you had some isopropyl alcohol + cloth that should lift out any dirt trapped. I don't think the S series surface is that rough, at the Sony store they were all smooth.

 

What you need is a USB to SATA cable, and have the HDD installed as usual, do fresh install, then using this you should be able to copy the image to your SSD. Then remove the hdd, install ssd and should be good to go.

 

this is not outdated and is the latest release of Intel RST and, i believe, is even newer than the one installed on any SONY laptop shipped these days (there are beta releases, but they're beta quality). now why it does not work, i'm clueless.

EDIT: maybe you should pm pyr0 and ask him for help. i remember him talking about the RAID setup in VAIOs and how to configure/edit/... them.

 

awesome haha

 

Hi everyone, I am still filming my video review. But I do have some pictures of the gunmetal finish right here! and a close screenshot of the screen.





and for the keyboard: