Official Sony VAIO F Series Owners lounge *PART 2*

Yes, but does it have to been have to be paired each time you re-boot or is it automatic once set up?

 

Joe, the installation order that I followed WAS the same as what is on the Sony site. I then got errors for the battery. I started over and reinstalled W7, drivers (in order), then the Sony software (in order, but with omissions of unwanted software). I do not currently have control of the 3 buttons, but I will work on that as I get a chance. Each of these computers run faster and better now than prior to the clean install, in my humble opinion. There are about 25% fewer services running. The SSD is blazing fast compared to the original HDD. Windows restart is now down to 39 seconds from the time I press the "restart" radio button until the time everything is loaded and re-running. Startup time from "off" is just a touch over 21 seconds.

Photo editing using Elements is amazing compared to my relic desktop. My slowest webpage completely loads in under 4 seconds, most load in a fraction of a second (of course, to be fair, Speedtest.net tells me that my downloads are averaging about 33Mb/sec and my ping time is between 10-20ms). My internet SHOULD be fast, even using IE8.

I'm no expert...not by a long shot. I am, however, impressed enough with this laptop that our church now has 4 of them and I bought one for myself.

Bill

 

I wish Logitech would make a full size Bluetooth mouse but I did not find any on their mice page except in the MX 5500 keyboard/mouse combo.

I got for peanuts a brand new full size Bluetooth Microsoft Laser Mouse 8000 on Fleabay. For peanuts because it's a 2006 model. It connects automatically in 2-3 seconds when turned on, no pairing needed. Plus: uses one AA battery so no need to carry the charger around. Caveats: need the charger for the included Ni-Mh AA, not chargeable via USB & most importantly: it's not asymmetric & does not have a big thumb rest like the best Logitech's. Two important ergonomic features IMO.

There are plenty of small Bluetooth mice but full size is an other story.

Any recommendations gentlemen & ladies?

*****

Vaio Bloatware?

Bill, glad your F's are working fine. These proper order tips might be useful to some other users. Not all users have the save level of tech knowledge & what is deemed bloatware for a geek may be a life saver for somebody on the road facing a problem.

Anyway, Battery Checker is not important according to the Vaio_software engineer I quoted & isbmgr.exe can be easily disabled in Msconfig or Autoruns as previously mentioned here.

There is a ton of cr@p you can disable to speedup booting instead of wiping out the HDD & doing a clean install if you don't want to by using Autoruns.

It's free, small & portable (meaning no install needed) Autoruns for Windows v9.57 by Windows Sysinternals with a lot of info & possible tweaks. You can search all the data, create startup configurations backups & even compare them to your current one with all the changes highlighted.

Maybe of interest for some: F11_Series: Installed Vaio_Software Comparison & Bloatware? with screen captures from 3 Vaio_F Series owners.

For sure SSD is an incredible speed boost. I'm just waiting a couple of months for better tech, larger capacities & lower prices.

 

Why don't u just buy the same memory as the 4GB one that came with the laptop from
M471B5273BH1-CH9 Samsung DDR3-1333 SODIMM 4GB Notebook Memory - DDR3 SODIMM 200 Pin - SuperBiiz.com

 

Joe, since the days of the 486, using an Intel HD driver has always been an OPTION. The name of he driver has changed through the years, but the point is that Windows uses a generic driver, either for Intel, AMD, SiS, or Chips and Technology. XP will still drive the latest PM55 chipset, but not with optimum bandwidth. XP, Vista etc. can be told how to improve utilization of the chipset via the Intel infomation utility which even Win7 will need for any newer chipsets, but device IO will still WORK without the Intel setup, though not optimally, and with errors in Device Manager. And this is not the Matrix driver I'm talking about.

The Intel Matrix driver is a whole new kettle of fish, it is written from scratch to work directly with Intel's chips at machine level, and hook into Window's kernel. it is, by definition, an improvement over Microsoft's, since it byasses the translation layer between Windows generic and Intel generic.

However, while faster, it is risky, some drives just don't "like" the Intel driver, and it is less forgiving of ANY error in system memory or of any instability. It is not an "Upgrade" but an alternative that can be tried if the hardware is otherwise solid. Apparently the Matrix driver works well for the PM55 chipset, but there are still uncertainties regarding particular hard drives used. I don't know that I DO want to use it with an SSD, which is already fast, but it's worth a try.

But don't expect any software advisor to suggest the Intel Matrix driver as an upgrade, since it's not, but rather it's an alternate, more direct, means of having Windows use the Intel chipset to access the hard drives.

 

I use the Intel Matrix driver with the Crucial M255 SSDs and have had no problems...yet.

Bill

 

That's good to know. Thanks..

 

Could you check the Intel Driver Update Utility adviser linked above to see if it recommends anything for your SSD?

@MelodyMaster: Thanks for the info. Note that the F uses the Intel Matrix & Intel SATA Non-RAID driver by default, at least on my F with HDD.

 

OOOPS!! I may have mis-spoke. When I downloaded the drivers from Sony, the Intel Matrix Storage Manager was included, and I thought I was running it. Perhaps I am not??? The matrix control manager does show up in my programs listing.

The driver listed for my SSD is the Microsoft 6.1.7600.16385, dated 6-21-2006.

Sorry for any confusion!

Bill

 

He destroyed his OEM LCD by accident & instead of replacing it with the same part, he bought a FW_display model LQ164M1LA4A & the corresponding inverter. Check his post here & searching Google products: LQ164M1LA4A finds many results. Don't forget that you need also the inverter as the one in the F is for one CCFL tube only.

Maybe roweraay could make a unification post about his FW_display adventure instead of having the info scattered through many posts? With links maybe?

 

Same for my HDD in Device Manager > Disk Drives > right click: Properties > Driver.

The Intel stuff is for the chipset & SATA ports managing the Intel Matrix is a console.

 

Mine is on the Intel PCHM SATA AHCI 6-port controller.

 

Exactly the same microsoft driver build is listed for my Toshiba THNS256GG8BBAA, but of course that's nothing to do with the Intel matrix driver, which I don't have installed. The Intel Matrix driver (if used instead of Microsoft PCHM SATA) is Windows to Chipset, the Microsoft 6.1.7600 driver is Chipset to hard drive.

 

That Device Manager window is identical to mine.

(edit) Looking through the Intel documentation, there seems to be NO chipset driver that is more advantageous than the one currently installed.

 

Nooo.

What I mean is that if I look in my programs, I have the Intel Matrix Storage Manager. I am not talking about the Intel reference in the Device Manager.

So, If the Intel is "Windows to Chipset" and the Microsoft 6.1.7600 is "chipset to HDD", then which would be a better solution? Or are you saying that the Intel Matrix would be used in place of the MS PCHM SATA?

Bill

 

The Intel storage CONSOLE allows you to examine properties of the hard drives and adjust quietness and power settings, as well as to add RAID without losing current data. It's not a driver. I have the Storage console also, build 8.9.4.1004.

 

I've installed the v9.6.0.1014 driver with no apparent issues. The Intel driver update utility does not recognize the driver. I have SSD. You guys are making me nervous though. You recommend I roll this back?

 

Mine is regular DVD. It's single piece of aluminum. I had to make a decision whether to break the bezel or the one attached to the case, which was obviously my choice.

 

A "fun" read: the long waited INTEL RST V9.6.0.1014 is ready for download forum.

 

I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying you broke off the bezel from your F OEM DVD drive?

If so, all you needed to do is manually eject the tray to access the tabs w/o braking them. See How-to HDD in ODD bay.

 

The newmodeus caddy actually works pretty well (see pictures below). There's a plastic attachment to connect the front bezel to the caddy. Use it to replace the original one. No mods were needed. Very well fit.

 

My understanding is it gave a little better performance. Based on Melody's comment I should roll back?

 

Is there any good external optical drive enclosure?

 

I dunno. Check the thread I linked to, several users posted some benchmarks: some users gained performance & some lost.

From this page, Intel adding clarity as usual like their core 2 duo and i7-620M 2 core, etc:

 

Thank you for taking the time to make & post the photos.

Please tell me if I understand correctly:

1- The newmodeus HDD Caddy comes with a flat generic bezel already installed.

2- Remove the newmodeus bezel & use the included white adapter to fit the F's OEM special shaped bezel on the newmodeus HDD Caddy for a very good finish fit on the F's body as illustrated by your photos.

What I don't understand is the broken part you posted here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/att...sony-vaio-f-series-owners-lounge-part-2-1.jpg from this post.

What's that, where does it come from?

 

yes, you right. That broken part is because I couldn't take the front bezel off from the optical drive. It's at the other end of your picture. Since I don't have this latch View attachment 49542 as shown by niebyl2002, I had to broke it.

 

You need to eject manually the tray to have access to the tabs. If that part of the F OEM bezel was not broken, could you confirm that it would still fit the newmodeUS caddy?

Anyway, thanks for the report & photos! I used one with a link to your post in the How-to HDD in ODD bay.



I hope MelodyMaster did not rush it and order a replacement HDD caddy before reading your post.

One question, did you run some benchmark like the free version of HD Tune available here for example? I'm curious about the operating temperature under stress as yours is a closed box while niebyl2002's & mine are opened on the top side.

Also, could you confirm that there is 4 holes in the bottom of the caddy for securing the HDD with screws?

 

Hi folks, this is my first message here.

I bought a Vaio VPC-F111FX last month and yesterday I noticed something interesting. Whenever the computer is idle and the battery is fully charged, the power supply LED starts flickering (not totally blinking, just flickering, if you know what I mean) and I also hear some clicking sounds from inside the power supply.
I'm not sure if this has always happened, it was just yesterday when I started to use the computer with the power supply close to me that I noticed this. When the LED flickers, the lights on the room also do the same thing!

I was wondering, did anyone else here experienced this? Did you return the power supply and is the new one working fine after the exchange?

 

Yep jg, my first vaio f did that, so I returned it to best buy and they gave me another.

The second one also does it, this got me wondering - when I called Sony (on multiple occasions, different people), they all said that this was not normal and they'd replace the power supply, but for one reason or another I never got one.

Eg, was in the vicinity of a sony store but didn't have my receipt, then I was going to get one mailed but for other issues they asked me to send the machine to their place in San Diego... sooo..

Yeah. XD

Call them, they'll send you another power brick.

 

Just out of curiosity, is the F able to boot from the drive in the caddy?

 

My guess is if you chose to boot from the "optical drive", you'd be fine.

 

The point is not to see who is right but the help other users so excuse my French.

Once you pulled out the F's ODD (BD or DVD it does not matter), you can't see the tab you need to push in to remove the bezel. You can't use the eject button either as the optical drive is now powerless.



That's why there is a little hole next to the eject button. You unfold a paper clip or use a needle or small object like the photo below to eject the tray. This is a good trick BTW if your ODD does not eject normally & gets stuck.



Then turning the ODD upside down, you grab the tray while being careful not to to touch the laser & reader and simply push in gently the tab & pull out the bezel. There is 2 other tabs but once you released one, the others are easier to push in.

I ejected my F's ODD which is now in an external ODD enclosure, removed the flat bezel, re-installed the OEM bezel & took this photo to show that the OEM ODD does have a window to push in the tab:



I updated the how-to HDD caddy article with these extra details.

Since your OEM DVD is no bezeless (?) and you don't have the hole to guide the ejection, here is an other photo. Just press where the arrow is & find the tab's access window I'm talking about.



Ouf, it took about 20 times more time to take the pics, post them & write this post than to actually do it!

 

What happens if for example, the hard drives stops working and I need to reinstall Windows 7 on a new hard drive, would I have to use system recovery, or system restore?

 

Too late, but anyway I think the Ebay one is more solidly made.

What white plastic adaptor? I didn't see one.

 

If you've been backing up your system with a System Image, then I would use this method using the system repair disk. This will put you at the place where the System image was made (all programs you have installed and data). On the other hand, if you do a System recovery, then this puts the laptop in the state that you bought it. None of your data will be there and any programs that you installed. I make a system image about once a week. There are third pary programs that work also but I just use what Win 7 offers. Hope this helps and that I haven't confused things further for you.

 

Mine does the same thing. I've yet to read of a VGP-AC19V15 that does NOT have a flickering LED, also causing room lights on the same circuit to flicker. Personally I'm not worried about it. 120 watts turing on and off to maitain a charge is BOUND to affect other things on the same circuit, just as turning on and off a lghtbulb would. And this is a reactive load, with inductive kickback causing more of a surge on the line than would disconnecting a bulb.

 

Mine also. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

 

I've got a squeaking space bar (not too bad). I was at Fry's so I thought I'd try as a test to remove the space bar on their demo. I did according to the link in this thread and I couldn't get it to budge. Just how hard is it to pry out?

 

Yep, it's normal. Annoyingly. XD However Sony techs HAVE told me it isn't. I'm guessing they just aren't aware of what the power supply is doing. They could have avoided the issue had they used a power supply specifically made for the machine, but it's fine.

If you want to nuke and pave, you can just use the optical over esata or USB.

 

"f) a volume control on the side of the notebook is nice, but there isn't 1. Kinda annoying for me to press 2 buttons to mute the notebook." - that's easy if Fn + F2 is too much work: remap a key that you don't use to Mute. Just did it for the accent key under Esc with the free & small KeyTweak:


The VAIO button runs media gallery on default. If you uninstalled media gallery, the VAIO button will do mute instead

 

You need a 3 feet crowbar or the much nicer French word for it: pied-de-biche (doe's foot).

 

Je ne sais pas Now don't go spouting any more french cause I just used my limited francais.... So you're saying it takes quite a lot of force?

 

No, I did not say pied-de-b*tch.

Video + photos + testimonials, what more do you need? F Squeaky Spacebar Fix.

Or simply just pounce on it for a few days & it will stop squeaking naturally, just like my b...

 

If your system is working fine, no need to roll back.
It is working fine without any problems on my system.

 

sorry to re-post, but I am still having problems with my F11s hibernate wakeup... it woke up today at 01:01:42 (I checked the system log) and was "up" until I got up today... a fair few hours later... it really is starting to get frustrating. I get this error:

System Availability Requests:System Required Request
The device or driver has made a request to prevent the system from automatically entering sleep.
Requesting Driver Instance HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0275&SUBSYS_104D3F00&REV_1000\4&30a90eb7&0&0001
Requesting Driver Device Realtek High Definition Audio

- which I guess is because of the mic fix I put in place. Is this so? Please let me know.

Thanks in advance

 

Just try to install the latest Realtek HD Audio drivers, from realtek themselfs, and remove the audio driver that sony provided.

 

after this happens, open cmd in elevated and type in: powercfg lastwake
this should verify that it was the realtek driver that woke your laptop.

now i don't know what effects this would have or if it has been tried before (i would assume it has), but you might want to try disabling that driver from waking your laptop. can't imagine why it would make a wake request in the first place...

powercfg -devicequery wake_armed (should show you a list of things that are capable of waking the laptop. realtek driver should be in there)
powercfg -devicedisablewake "exact name found from previous command"

if this messes up something, just use:
powercfg -deviceenablewake "same name"
to turn it back on.

or you can just do it through the device manager. again, i'm pretty sure this has already been advised somewhere along the way but i don't remember. unless using voice commands or something, i really can't think of any reason for the audio driver to wake a laptop and i don't think disabling wake would cause any problems.

 

Apologies if this has already been answered but when is there expected to be a refresh of the F Series line-up?

 

Hi jj, mine was squeaking as well and I let it for about a week and it quit on its own. Apparently we have to break it in like a new pair of boots!

 

That's because of the mic fix, tried to undo the mic fix and see if it hibernate/sleep normally. This is what happen on my F and one of the reason I returned it.

Summer, around June/July. Sony will have some sort of announcement about remote play sometime this month, maybe they'll announce it by then?