Official Sony VAIO F Series i5/i7 owners thread *Part 3*

So I guess I'll have to change "Location: Denmark" to "Location: Touring Scandinavia" now?

Anyway, I'll do some more testing. The graph is showing a lot of dips, often over quite some time, when I run Win7 in normal mode. So I'm trying to figure out what is causing them.

The drive shows as SATA Gen. 1 but we are no where near the 150mb/sec. data rate of Gen. 1, so I'm guessing it has nothing to do with it.

Thinking about making a second partition also (I'll run HD Tune before and after), as i don't like the "one big drive" solution Sony decided is best for us - if this doesn't create any problems regarding the recovery system?
It sure did on my old Acer TravelMate. After stealing some of the C: partition with Partition Magic it refused to run any kind of system recovery due to the change in target partition size.

 

If you want a reasonable priced performance laptop, and are picky with the design and ESPECIALLY the screen as I am, there is no way around the F.
I searched the marked for months and spend a lot of time driving around to see machines from HP, Acer, Apple, Dell and Sony in real life.
There are pros and cons on every laptop out there, but in the end I found the F to be to most attractive offer.

Bag wise I recommend OGIO LINK.
I ride a lot of motocross and cross country/freeride/downhill MTB and have been using OGIO gear bags and hydration/backpacks for years. They are very well made and designed, always with lots of compartments and clever solutions, so it was a no-brainer for me when it came to choosing a new laptop bag.

They have a lot of different models designed for laptops.
I went with the Metro in OGIO Icon Print as I wanted something with plenty of room and the F fits (tightly) in the laptop compartment. All of them comes in discrete colors as well if you are not into the blingy stuff

EDIT: See that long compartment on the side of the bag? It was like the designer had a VAIO powerbrick in his hand, when he thought of that!

 

AEOLUS Cooler is good for my F11Z1EI?

Enermax Aeolus N14 : Notebook Cooler debuts : TechnGear.com

 

Epic .gif is... EPIC!

 

I use the NC2000 with my F11 and older SZ. This is model with aluminum top. Works and looks great!

Regards, Tom

 

By how much does it actually cool the laptop? Does it run quietly or do we get into a stiuation where we're actually hearing dual fan noise from both tthe laptop and laptop cooler?

EDIT: or one fan noise trumping the other?

Thks

 

To answer your questions:
- can't quantify how much it cools, but placing hand on left side when computer is real busy, exhaust is mildly warm on the NC2000 but when not on the NC2000 is near-hot.
- believe the computer's fan runs slower when on the NC2000. NC2000's fan is hardly audible. Think overall noise is definitely less when using the cooler.

BTW, NewEgg sometimes runs specials on these coolers. Managed to buy mine with $20 discount a month ago.

 

Hello

I own the Sony VPCF11M1E. but it makes a sharp noise when I plug a USB device or using my bluetooth mouse. I tried to mute the microphone, but without result.
Can you help me? Thank you

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/accessories/304671-notebook-coolers-buyers-guide.html

 

I did the same as this and got similar results. Frame rate went up from 20 to 33 in CoD Modern Warfare 2 lol

More info about my overclock in Nuggstein's seperate thread here http://forum.notebookreview.com/6542975-post19.html

 

I've been loving every minute I spend with my F11, but I have run into one issue with it.

I'm not a big fan of the auto-brightness feature. I know that I can adjust the brightness with fn+f5/f6, but I still feel as though it is typically too dim for me. Darkening the screen in the dark is also a bit weird for me. Makes sense when I really think about it, but again, it gets too dark.

Now, I tried disabling auto-brightness in the Vaio settings as per an earlier suggestion, but when I did so, fn+f5/f6 no longer actually changed the brightness of the backlight. I can see the gray/white brightness meter pop up in the middle of the screen adjust itself as I push the buttons, but the screen does nothing.

Thoughts on what might be wrong?

 

What's your opinion about defraggler?

 

I believe that it is VERY hard to ween your kids from Fraggle Rock on your own, so if it works, use it!

 

The Enermax one looks pretty good but how silent is it?

I have been using the ZM-NC2000 for years gaming on the laptop and it has always kept things cool as well as ninja quiet.

 

That's strange, works for me.

All software up to date?

What happens if you adjust brightness manually in your screen/power settings (the slider bar)?

 

What do you mean?

Very silent! But the temperature is high! I have speedfan :

GPU 49C
HD0 38C
Temp1 47C
Temp2 47C
Core1 54C
Core2 53C
Core3 51C
Core4 50C

 

Hello friends, i brought sony vaio f series vpcf11 few months back i am a sound engineer so i brought the thing for audio work. Unfortunately my m-audio firewire device dosent work. But here in the forum i had seen a guy saying by disabling the wireless atheros ar9287 network adapter it works.

magically it worked when i disabled the wireless card.

i have used 6pin to 4pin firewire cable, and i even remove the fire wire cable when the computer is not turned off.

i got a blue screen couple of times today !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 50
BCP1: FFFFFFFFBF3F58B8
BCP2: 0000000000000000
BCP3: FFFFF8000349E560
BCP4: 0000000000000005
OS Version: 6_1_7600
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\080210-19375-01.dmp
C:\Users\Punkbuddhaz\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-36582-0.sysdata.xml

Read our privacy statement online:
Windows 7 Privacy Statement - Microsoft Windows

If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:
C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pls can you advice what am i doing wrong?

1) do you think the maudio could be flawlessly used with vaio f series with the wireless router turned off, or i need to get another usb sound card?
2) why am i gettin this blue screen
3) is that due to my plug and unplug habit of firewire device even when the computer is turned on?

4) i want my firewire maudio sound card be hot pluggable is that possible.?

 

Just a bad, yet funny joke!

During load or idle? Room temp.? Your normal readings vs. with the cooler in place?

You have to be more specific.

 

Never mind, seems to be working now. I had disabled auto-brightness again, then started the color calibration tool, and it was suddenly working correctly.

 

A very funny American pop culture joke.

Check this out:
YouTube - Fraggle Rock - opening theme

 

Clean install completed. VERY long post w/ images and benchmarks to follow.

 

YAY :smile: :GEEK: :rolleyes2: :tongue:

 

Last night I tried Joe Bleau's Clean Install Using recover discs. Here is my experience with it.

This information is meant to be supplemental to his process, so I am posting more about how it differed for me, rather than duplicating the work he's already done. I decided to do this now, because I didn't like some of the left over items from Google Chrome that were sneaking around. I also didn't like that I had ThirdPartyAppMgr.exe running at around 30MB RAM supposedly in relation to Smart Wii.

My VAIO Specs are listed in my sig. Running Windows 7 Home Premium. I also did not do a complete recovery. I only recovered my C:\ partition, which is 80GB

There's a lot of information to share, so I think 4 sections is best. Clean install Specifics and VAIO software thoughts, HD Tune Benchmarking Issues, NVIDIA Driver Tests, and Final Results (tasks and boot time).

Clean Install: the process itself

I followed the Clean Install process as described and interrupted it during the "Install Reboot Driver" phase. Upon restarting, I was given the error about Windows having not been properly installed and was thrown into a loop of rebooting and error message. I then thought "what could possibly happen if I let the process go a step further?". The worst is that I'll have to start over again or have 1 or 2 unwanted bloatwares to remove. What actually happened was that the next reboot was successful and there was a display to allow more programs (bloatware) to be installed. I clicked "Cancel" and that was the end of it. Super easy.

This process doesn't really need to be done from recovery discs, it can also be done via Vaio Care and using the existing recovery partition, as that was how my very first system recover (in June) went.

Update:
The process is even easier if you choose to Restore Complete System. You'll be given the option to add the Sony Value Programs to the Recovery Partition. Assuming you've made recovery disks, you can decline. When the installation is complete and the recovery center begins to install bloatware, you'll be able to easily cancel out of both windows. The Windows setup will complete. You'll then need to immediately install the Realtek drivers and ALPS Drivers.

Here are the Installed Programs, Task Manager, and Boot time:

​

Getting VAIO programs up and running:
I had a hard time installing VAIO Care. Accidentally downloaded one for an F12. It ran, but wouldn't assign to my "ASSIST" key. I unstalled it and found the original for my model number. Though the F12 version (VAIO Care 6) has more features/functions, VAIO Care 5 actually works with my buttons. So... VAIO Care is model specific for best functionlity.

After getting past that, I installed:
*VAIO Event Serivce (Fn keys)
*VAIO Control Center
*VAIO Help and Support
*VAIO Power Management
*VAIO Update
*Setting Utility Series (necessary to make S1 key work and to populate VAIO Control Center with any settings to use)
*Corel WinDVD for Blu Ray

I then ran Windows and VAIO Updates until all updates were current.

My thoughts on a few programs in JB's list:
*ROXIO seems useless other than to use backend RAM. I can burn discs fine even before I installed DVDFab7
*VAIO Messenger Service isn't necessary. I had it disabled for quite a while before the clean install. I chose to not install it at all this time.
*PMB and associated Metadata programs. It's a memory hog for sure. I kinda liked PMB, and had all of its processes disabled until I chose to run the program. I'm leaving it off of this install for now, until I decide it's time to organize photos.

IN SUMMARY - this was really quite an easy clean install compared to the people searching for drivers and having to install things in a certain order. Instead have spending hours on that, I got to spend hours running test, defragging, and taking screen shots.

THIS IS A FANTASTIC CLEAN INSTALL PROCESS, and I think it's actually easier to execute when waiting for the aforemention reboot to happen and cancelling the installation on the next step to appear.

HD Tune: Benchmarking Issues
The very first thing I did after the Clean Install, but before adding any other programs, was to run HD Tune. It seems that there's something choking at the top end.

​

So, I defragged using VOPT, both by C: and D: partitions, using the option to fill the gaps. Next was to erase the free memory space and smooth it out. During this process, VOPT will stop all unnecessary programs from running, which allows for a good atmosphere for HD Tune to run. It's still choked at the top.

​

Next was to try Safe Mode. The curve looks good and the results are appropriate.

​

Back to Windows in Normal Mode, and things choke again.

​

I don't know what's causing this. It's not VAIO software, BIOS, or any programs installed after installation. There's a process, or something, happening in between those used in Safe Mode and those in Normal mode that is hampering HDD functionality. Any ideas?

NVIDIA Driver Tests:
I did CPU Sress Testing using Everest, and at the same time ran FurMark Stability Test at 1200x900 custom. Also, here is my Passmark rating. All using NVIDIA Driver 188.67

​

Same tests run, after uninstalling NVIDIA 188.67 and installing NVIDIA Driver 258.96:

​

*Note: I got bored with the stress test and stopped them short of 20 minutes, because my VAIO just wasn't heating up. It was taking the load in perfect stride.
** My score would be higher. Before the clean install, I could use blu ray discs for the CD Read Benchmark. I cannot now.

Final Results:
Task Manager Processes, % RAM used (after most of my programs have been installed) and WinBootInfo time.
At the moment that I write this, I have 3 IE browsers open, Nokia One Touch access (it's how I get my internet), 2 notepads, calculator, 3 gadgets, VAIO Care, Add/Remove Programs Window, and my Explorer window. All of this has me at 35% mem usage, or 1.4GB. This is less than the 1.46GB my VAIO idled at when I first got it and hadn't even starting using programs!!!

​

 

My theory is a bug in bios in combination of a service in windows.

What is the current bios for the Vaio F12 today?

Mine is from 28 of April 2010, bios version R1100Y6. However, Everest says " System BIOS datum 09/23/09" and "Video BIOS datum 11/09/09".

 

So it's defraggler good, or not?

My laptop now is like in clean install. I've removed all the junky items and i have only 45 processes running. Also the best boot time was 35 seconds!

I dont know how to remove the vaio smart network icon ( and process? ) from the taskbar. Do you know?

 

Mine is:
BIOS Type AMI
BIOS Version R0280Y6
System BIOS Date 09/23/09
Video BIOS Date 10/20/09

 

Isn't that bios for F11, I can not find it on Vaio support for the Swedish model?

EDIT: Will install XP and run HD tune so if the issue exists there too.

 

Yeah, I'm on the F11

 

It doesn't look bad, if that's what you want to know. I was going back and forth between trials of PerfectDisk 11 and VOPT. Of the two, I prefer VOPT, but will probably settle on freeware when my trial is over. I do like having a boot time defrag option though.

The Tune Up option in VAIO Care is very useful too.

 

Why do you have the issue of slow HDD, thought that only the F12 had it?

 

I don't know.

When I check in Intel Matrix... it shows Generation 1 (SATA I), but Everest shows SATA II, and a 3rd application (whose name I don't remember), shows SATA I. I'm not good enough to know what's really going on.

Previously, I posted w/ photos about jumpers on the HDD and that I had removed mine and said jumpers were not present. The presence of jumpers disabled SATA II and set it to SATA I. Hmmmm..

Joe Bleau get's my good results while in normal mode, but some of us can only get his results in safe mode.

 

Look what Everest Disc Benchmark Gave me

 

Could you post a picture of the results of a HD tune disk benchmark, both system disk and storage disk if you have ? This would help us in our research

 

Here's what I got:

 

anseio,

Thank you for sharing the extensive job of clean install.

 

Why are you doing the HD tune disk tests? What are you waiting to see?

 

Troubleshooting steps under different environments is the only way to know where things go right vs. go wrong.

How am I, or are we, to know where the performance issue lies without isolating the environment? Yes, I can say that it doesn't perform well, but that doesn't explain why it DOES perform well while in Safe Mode. Of, why it doesn't perform well for me, but does for someone else under the same circumstances.

By trying the test in 4 different environments, I was able to rule out ALL programs installed by me after the Windows installation was complete, including any VAIO software as well. By the fact that it does work Safe Mode rules out the hardware as being defective. Multiple tests throught different stages of progess is how research is done and things are learned.

I still do not know the problem, but if someone were to try to help, I could give specifics other than "it doesn't work well".

 

Wow, awesome clean install results & impressive post!

Come on you lazy bast****, click on the weird little icon on the left of his Clean Install post & give some rep power! That's this weird icon: .

I'm sure it took you more time to write this & make the screen captures & benchmarks than to do the clean install thing itself.

Dunno why but your clean install is even smaller & boots faster than mine. What did you use to check boot time? I used Vaio_Care.

BTW, run Vaio_Care > One Click Care : System TuneUp and you will be surprised by all the errors it finds in the registry. Naturally defragging both registry & HDD is a must after installing & all the updates & patches.

Great tip about the Cancel after reboot trick. I did not have to do that as I did not get the error cycle you got. Will update the article with link to your post as well as you key comments & tips.

As mentioned in the article, you can safely uninstall the mislabeled Intel Turbo Boost Technology Driver as in fact it's a Intel Graphics Media Accelerator and the F does not use that and that's why the service is stopped anyway by default:



The real CPU Turbo Boost feature is embedded in the CPU itself.

It takes time but to find out why your HDD is faster in Safe Mode than in regular OS: Task Manager > Services > Sort by Status > Running > screen capture and do the same in Safe Mode.

One of the services running only in the regular OS may be the cause of the problem.

Or settings related to the HDD, did not research that.

Again, great work!

 

Either you are omaroo or it's clone because that question proves that you did not read the last few pages because there is about 20 recent posts on that subject.

Or you did read those posts and you are only snookering people in wasting their time replying to your never ending questions.

It adds lots of noise to this thread beside the waste of reply time.

An other user to add to my very short Ignore list.

As an other user wrote a few pages back: Stop feeding the troll!

 

im having a problem with my vaio f series.

the problem is the fan is running extremely loud.(probably the loudest i have ever heard it running, even when im running games its not this loud). Well anyways its running really loud but the system isnt even hot, the cpu usage is below 10 and the ram usage is below 30%. like even the air blowing out the system is not even considered warm.

i downloaded this program called speedfan and my all reading of temperatures were around 40-45.

also this problem just started today.

lastly it only runs loud when i reach the log in screen. everything before its running normal.

 

My very first thought is to do a system restore to a point before today and see what happens.

 

i tried that, and its still a problem, and i downloaded that bios update i beleive its called, and the fan noise is still a problem. like the system runs fine and all its just its so LOUD.

 

SpeedFan caused major problems on my F and I promptly uninstalled it.

You can't control the fan speed on the F anyway.

Either use System Restore to go back to a state when your F was working fine or try this below then update your BIOS. Check your esupport page for your exact model. What is you exact model?



Please report back to say if it worked or not.

*****

 

ok i will do that shortly. also one thing i did notice when the computer rebooted was the time and date was set to like December 31 2008.

also before the problem occured i did remove the battery, cause my laptop wouldnt boot up when i push the power button the green light just blinked.(sony told me to remove the battery and try to start up again)

also my model name is vpc-f1190s

 

The CMOS battery reset should do the trick. That same issue happened to a number of us.

By the way, do you have the F11 or F12? and did this issue happen before or after the BIOS update from Sony. I'm curious if this was addressed in the F12 version or the BIOS update.

Edit: nevermind..I see that you have an F11.. I guess the only thing is if you drained the battery before or after the update

EDIT 2: Search the PART 2 thread for more info on the fan @ 100% issue.

 

this issue happened before the bios update. but i already updated it now, and the issue remains still. will report back later, im going to see if if it fixes the problem.

 

Destroy that SpeedFan, reboot, turn off. Then the CMOS reset should do the trick.

 

yeah check the discussions on it.

The problem seems to occur when the laptop (unplugged) runs out of battery and begins to set into hibernation. Somehow something goes wrong in the process and hibernation is not fully activated. The laptop won't power on until after a few tries or by taking out the battery and running it on AC. This unfortunately results in the fan kicking in at full blast constantly around the time the windows logo appears.
Unplugging and replugging the CMOS battery will reset the BIOS from the corruption and will do the trick.

EDIT: This has not happened to everyone though. It has happened to me a few times but not always and I'm not sure what exact set of conditions create this problem.

 

Anyone know how to control (stop) the flashing orange power button led when lid is closed?

 

ok i did it and it WORKED!!!

thank you.