Official Sony VAIO AW Series 18.4" Owners thread

These don't have defective Nvidia hardware, and those old 8600 class GPUs woudln't cause anything like this.

 

Hi all. I just wanted to join the ranks of proud and (mostly) happy AW owners. I have not received mine yet but it's the AW190JAH from Newegg ($1399). P8600 2.4ghz, 4gb RAM, 250GB HDD 7200rpm, BD Combo, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT 512mb. I'm buying the 3yr warranty separately from Sony. I noticed some questions about a bag for this beast. Well, I found one: "Dicota Multigiant" for up to 20", got great reviews for use with the AW. Surprisingly the cheapest one I found was at Dell.com for $42.49:

http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&cs=&k=multigiant&cat=all

By the way, I'm going to try Vista Semi-clean install that is posted on this site:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=146033

I'll let you know how that goes. One thing I like about this method is that it's totally reversible and safe

I also have a question for someone who might be knowledgeable in the Audio/Video world:
I would like to try and hook it up to my home theater receiver for 5.1 surround. I think all I have to do is plug an optical cable (with a Toslink to mini-plug adapter) into the optical out of the laptop to my receiver, then change the audio settings to S/PDIF. Right?
Also, If I want to use it as a Blu-ray player into my HDTV, I could just plug an HDMI cable into my (HDMI, Dolby True-HD/DTS-HD capable) receiver then another HDMI cable to the TV from the HDMI "Monitor out" from the receiver. Right?

 

Hi MetalMike,

Re your HDMI for watching blu rays method on a hdtv...Yes that should work.

Also make sure when you press the 'Fn'+'F7' buttons select Monitor only (so the display only shows up on your HDTV) and then you can adjust the screen size settings appropriately for your HDTV. /if you choose LCD+Monitor the options to adjust the picture on your HDTV will not be available.

 

Thank you Vaio4Life, that info will come in handy.

Another quick question for anyone:

I see a lot of people putting their specs on here with the NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT 512 being "DDR3" The Newegg specs list this as "DDR2" Is it DDR3, how could one find out for sure?

 

I'm pretty sure it'll be DDR3 - my older 8400GS is DDR3 (the video memory) according to GPU-Z ...

Best way to find out - check NVidia's website, there must be spec sheets for all graphics cards.

It can be both, Google is your friend:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-9600M-GT.9449.0.html
http://www.product-reviews.net/2008/10/15/nvidia-geforce-9600m-gt-specs/

This means though, it may vary from model to model, but I'd go with DDR3 - not that you'd really notice a difference apart from high performance software (games)

 

The video memory on the 9600M GT is DDR3.

Edit:
Ah ok it can be both hmmm, how to confirm without opening the notebook?
I know on the MacBook Pro 2.8 it says DDR3 for the 9600M GT.

 

I thought this only shipped with DDR3 for video RAM?

 

Try GPU-Z - that'll tell you.

 

Ok, gonna try and find this, will report back.

 

Ok GPU-Z confirms it is GDDR3...will try and post a pic thanks DetlevCM

EDIT Screenshot

 

You're welcome

 

Ooooh, you just meant the card can work with either. Yeah, but AFAIK it's only DDR3 in this model.

 

Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up...can't wait to put some games to the test. Flight Sim X, COD4, maybe Crysis but I definitely can't wait to crank up all the the settings on my old Lock-On Modern Air Combat.

Anyway...Has anyone tried the semi-clean install (it's not verified on the AW yet)? Or can anyone at least tell me where to find the Launch.exe (or Launcher.exe)? I think it will be in the dir. C:\program files\sony\(? Recovery, or something to that effect).
Go ahead and tell me if this is too far off topic

 

Oh and the only track I've managed to get the speakers squealing (vibrating against the grill maybe?) on full volume is Kanye West - Love Lockdown with SRS TruBass WoW effects on and equaliser set to dance anyone else find this problem?

 

Hey MetalMike, how much did you pay for your AW190 all together, with tax and shipping from Newegg? Thanks

 

I would suggest this is a design flaw, and I doubt it can be fixed. Technicians can never replicate an intermittent fault from my experience, I find it's just a waste of time trying. My Ford automatic jumps out of top gear on a regular basis, all my friends have urged me to "take it back" Eventually I gave in, and of course got the "No fault found, transmission performance normal" report, they did however manage to change my radio station presets.

I don't think you're expecting too much. I have to say I'm disappointed with mine too "for the price", especially since my old Sony FZ outperforms the AW in most practical (not benchmark) tests. The WiFi performance is awful, the USB transfer speeds are horrid, the screen flickers and the speakers rattle, the battery calibration management is hopeless, and it's generally just sluggish, and mines not even faulty! I do enjoy the high resolution and colour performance of the display though

 

That's kind of what i'm fearing...it's going to be whether I can wear the flicker or not. Thing is, I had a 1920x1200 dell inspiron 8500, and apart from the fact that i've litterally worn the thing out, and it needs 2-3 thing plugged in to do what I want (inc the psu ), it's fine...and has no flicker. In fact it even has a better viewing angle!

However the sony seems to be the only matte RGB LED screen, so it's catch 22...

Arse... why can't people make things properly these days?

 

just heard back from sony support... (after chasing them)

Apparently the engineer has set the unit back to factory settings and reinstalled the drivers, and it's gone away. Not only that, but they compared the screen to another machine, and said it was identical. I couldn't get out of them what aspects were identical, it was just that they were the same.

To me, that sounds like fingers in ears, "what flickering? lalalalala we can't hear you"...

Not holding much confidence in this being fixed...if it's even fixable, and not a design fault.

So I expect to be playing the game of "how much does this actually iritate me, having spent £2000?" until the dealer return date appears.

Thing is, I really like the rest of the laptop...and spec...

 

I added some software to the full order but I looked up my invoice and subracted the software. I added the 3.99 rush processing but that was the only other charge, no tax, no shipping. It says "free shipping" under the product price before adding to your cart so with all that said; $1399.99 should be the grand total.

 

My touchpad is not quite level, if I press down on the left hand side it levels out but then rises to the unlevel position I think it has been like this since I got it, but I use a mouse so has not bothered me much...what to do?

 

Hi,
does anyone know of a tried and tested (and foolproof!) way of cracking the region code on WinDVD? I've just been given a load of region 1 dvds and need to know if there is a way of changing the code ad hoc according to the disk being played?

Cheers in advance!

 

This may not be allowed on this forum as it could potentially be ilegal.

 

My 1st AW had screen flicker and by your discription it's the same. I sent mine back to the company I bought it from becasue here in the UK everybody knows Sony support for Laptops is pretty bad.

I was sent a replacement and that appears to OK. If I were you I'd take the laptop back to where you bought from and demand a replacement.

 

Thanks. I will be trying that. Problem is that this was a return itself... so i won't be able to swap it, just return it.

Where did you purchase yours from... I wonder if i've got yours!

Who ever it was, left 300mb of emails on the HD!...

 

somebody Running Windows 7 on AW ?

 

I could be wrong, but it seems this is a problem with just Europe AWs?

 

You could just install one of the numerous DVD player software and set the region to whatever you want. Failing that there is always AnyDVD.

 

Yes, but apart from several programmes he'd need several drives too I suspect...

(stay legal!!)

 

I sent mine back around 14th Nov the new replacement arrived a few days later. It was my understanding the faulty laptop was returned to Sony for refund.

I bought online from DABS

I ran a compete recovery before sending back. Drive C would have been clean apart from the crapware installed by Sony.

 

Guess Where I Bought Mine From!

Dont worry, I deleted your emails on the D Drive without peeking...i suppose they could be someone elses... but there was a load there.

i'm 99% it's yours because the dates tally so well with mine. It was mentioned that the original owner returned it in Nov.

Right... that gives me plenty of ammo, because it was sold as being unused and fixed!

Would you consider chatting off line? I'd give you my work or mobile number via PM.

 

Looks like Dabs have come through. They're going to swap me out a for a new one, and all I have to do is pay the difference, which is fine by me.

So, Sony 0 - Dabs 1

Small world isn't it!

 

Nice one, I can say for certain that my PST file was on Drive C and there were 2 PST files and one was in excess of 500mb.

I does sound a little spooky and you could have gone to the News of World for laugh.

All joking aside, really pleased your sorted, don't forget the feedback here when the new one arrives

 

yep, that was the one... 2 files one large... thought it was 300, but that's it. They were on D, and wiped It's possible the were moved off the SSD by the reinstall for some reason... dunno.

Got it back today, dimmed the screen and voila...flicker now and then.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist Sony!

Will report back when I have my new one. Forgotten just how lovely these things are to work with... just a shame about the screen. Finger's x'd the new one is ok.

 

I've asked this before but does anyone know how they fit three HDD's in the SSD equipped model when there are only two bays? The configuration is two SSD's in RAID and one 500GB drive for storage. That's three HDD's! Maybe the SSD's are super slim and can fit two into one HDD bay?! Anyone know?

 

Reading this thread since it started they are a number of gamers who are onwers of the AW series and I need your help

I'm not gamer a rule, I bought COD World at War by mistake, bought the PC version instead of the 360 for my son. I've tried to install it 4 times each time it goes through the installation after it's complete I don't have a desk-top icon and I have to go the installed directory to run the game and each time I try to run the game I get the dreaded Vista error message COD has stopped working

Has anyone else had this or is this a know issue with world at war an Vista.

Any help would be much apprecaited.

 

Have you tried sending an error report via the Vista tool? I may help.

 

Hi, I tried that and got the usual response no fix available.

 

Assuming this is a 32-bit program and you are using 64-bit Vista, have you tried turning off data execution protection (DEP) or one of the windows compatible modes in the executable's properties?

 

Whoops I should have mentioned I using 32bit Vista

 

Have you installed using admin privs? I've had some apps that have failed installations because of that.

 

Yup, installed 32 bit Windows 7 Beta last week, worked fine. Changed to 64 bit Windows 7 yesterday, works ok too.

The only thing not working is the Fn+brightness. But I just use the built-in one (under power settings). Don't use it that much anyway, since the laptop isn't that portable.

The volume control and media buttons work without any drivers.

 

I'm not sure what exactly I installed, but FN+brightness works in Windows 7 64-bit for me.

 

vaio update just noticed me there would be an update, yet when I click it and it takes me to the site none is listed

anyone else got the pop-up (32 bit vista)?

 

What I suspect happened is that Windows Update found an update for an external device.

For example - for me, Windows Update supplied an update for my BlackBerry - I could only see and instal it with my BlackBerry connected

 

but windows update and vaio update are two completely different things

 

Ups, Ok.

Glitch in the software maybe?

 

yeah, I guess so too. that's why I wanted to know if maybe others had the same message or if it was just me

 

Did you just reinstall Vaio drivers and apps from your recovery disks after installing Windows 7 beta?

 

Just received the AW290. It is the titanium gray with a semi-gloss (non Adobe RGB) screen. The screen looks great, so far no (minimal) backlight bleed and no flickering. I had to adjust the brightness down a bit as it was a little too bright out of the box.

It appears it comes with two TV tuners: one built in for NTSC and an external USB one for ATSC reception. Haven't tried the ATSC yet but that is the one I am interested in.

No restoration disks so I had to create them myself.

I will be looking to install a second hard drive but have not found clear instruction on how to do it in light of what I have read about needing to install a sata cable to the motherboard. Any links with instructions?

I will also be looking to install a esata card in the express card slot. If that works well (and fast) it may save me the trouble of opening up the unit to install a second drive.

 

When I saw that 290 had ATSC it kinda confused me since I am pretty sure the other AWs did not have ATSC support. Why they did even bothered with such a crappy internal tuner is beyond me and charging $100 for it on a custom job is outrageous.