Official Sony VAIO F Series i5/i7 owners thread *Part 5*

I didn’t say that it’s easy. I sad that is easier than I expected. Think about the case when it is a Sony proprietary format, and you have same hacks and tools to unpack/extract the files when you want to create/pack them . Because it is using the standard .WIM format, and being already familiar with WAIK and its tools like DISM, and also with slipstreaming and adding drivers to a .WIM then everything looks much easier.

 

Ah, I get it now... you see through techie-colored glasses.

 

I admit, I have not read through the whole thread. I am having problems installing and running programs, I thought x64 would and could handle x86 applications?. Is a complete wipe and reinstall going to help?

I have had the f13 for just a few days

 

I am not getting any benefit from the Sony bloatware, anyway to have the computer my way, not sony way?

 

Make sure you are installing them in the correct folders: Windows 64-bit: The 'Program Files (x86)' and 'SysWOW64' folders explained (Technical Article)

Yes, you can do a "semi-clean" install. See here: Vaio-F Series Clean Install Guide

 

I just used this Sony extractor tool:

SonyExtractor_v0.1a.zip

 

Hmm, it looks like my post from this morning disappeared, or maybe it never posted after I hit Submit. I usually check, but anyway, I was asking what you guys were talking about earlier because it's very easy to extract .mod files with the Sony Extractor, so I didn't know if I had missed part of the conversation and you were talking about doing something else? If you're not talking about something else, that program is as easy as extracting a zip file.

 

Thanks you jpride, I think laptop is a case of love & hate.

Love the look/style, build quality, speed & display

Hate the fan noise x64 system and battery life(even though its expected for a quadcore)

I have had it since Friday and considering whether to return it

 

I have the same problems with my fan, I also got mine on Friday. I'm considering returning mine for the new 3D F with the 2630qm vs the 840qm due to the price difference and putting my ssd and ram in it but im torn if I should go down to the 2630qm even though i've heard its faster.

 

Hi all, been reading the thread with interest for a while but finally decided to become a member!

I've owned a F13S0E series notebook for about 6 weeks now and have found it to be absolutely amazing, however today I was using my laptop in uni and I think I've managed to break the eSATA/USB combo port on the left side, right by the HDMI port

I use a logitech wireless mouse which has a unifying receiver (it's basically a tiny USB device no more than 15mm or so in length and only sticks out of the port about 1/2 a centimetre or so). This was plugged into the combo port and when I went to put my notebook away in my bag the receiver must have caught on the side or something, as now the pins are slightly bent to the left and the port no longer works.

I've attached a couple of images below so you can see what I mean.



I think I'm going to try going back to the store where I bought it from and see what they say. I spoke to sony over the phone and they said that a damaged port isn't something which they can repair under warranty but they wouldn't say how much the cost to repair it would be. What I'd like to know is if I have no look at the store or with getting a warranty repair with sony, is it possible to fix this myself? By the looks of things I am going to have to take the laptop apart and replace (resolder?) a new esata/USB combo port onto the motherboard. Or would it be a case of requiring a whole new motherboard?

Tom

 

I've searched the forum for this but can't find any info.

I use a Logitech M570 wireless mouse which has a small unifying USB receiver permanently plugged in to one of the USB 3.0 ports. Unless I remember to use the small on/off switch on the base of the mouse every time the Vaio enters sleep mode, the slightest movement of the mouse wakes up the pc. This is a nuisance but it's made worse as the CPU usage it at about 27% once the Vaio resumes from sleep. Process Explorer shows Hardware Interrupts and DPCs as the culprit. This high CPU load only occurs when resuming from sleep via the mouse with the Logitech receiver plugged into one of the USB 3.0 ports, no problem when it's in the USB 2.0 port (but I use ESATA so can't leave it in there).

I want to stop the pc waking from sleep via the USB mouse but the bios is locked down so no settings to change there. I've tried removing the ticks from 'Allow this device to wake the computer' under Device Manager / Power Management but this doesn't have any affect.

Also tried uninstalling / reinstalling the USB 3.0 and Logitech drivers.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

I had a similar problem with the AC input on my laptop.

My German seller sent it in for a repair by Sony. The total cost was around EUR 105,- which was acceptable.

Seeing that you are from the UK and subject to European consumer rights, the situation might be similar in your case. But that's just an educated guess.

If you like the decals on your laptop be sure to remove them or else they might be damaged during the repair process. That's what I read on some website.

Pretty happy with my repair. Got my laptop back in perfect shape and it was ready to operate right away (no need for re-installation in my case). Still, you should be doing back ups before having the laptop sent in.

 

Oh crap! I have the same model as you do, I'm sorry for what happened to you, I hope you get it fixed ASAP. If you don't need the eSATA port it would be probably cheaper to buy an USB hub an plug it into one of USB 3.0 ports... I don't know, just guessing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I myself have still some questions about the format and fresh install:

When I tried to install the SATA driver it sait that I'm installing the Intel Rapid Storage Technology. That's not a SATA driver, is it? What is this anyway, something about RAID? And do I really have to install it?

I will do the last thing that could re-animate my eternaly disabled touchpad before installing a new fresh clean install of W7: I will low-format the HDD, I hope this helps (it for example the disabled setting for the touchpad is hidden in some hidden part of the HDD). If that won't help I'll just give up the touchpad I guess...

I find it impossible to register to nVidia forums so I'll ask it here: I would like to update the old nVidia graphics driver from the sony UK support site with the newer one, but when I tried that I was unable to set a custom 1600x900 resolution on my VPC-F13S0E/B. I am able to do this with the old driver but the new one doesn't save my setting an reverts back to the native Full HD resolution. Can anyone reproduce the problem?

I will post some more questions tomorrow before I format the HDD and install a fresh copy of W7.

Thank you all for help for now!

 

I suggest you to check in advanced power profile options USB parameters>temporary turning power off parameter (may be different because I translated this from russia.

Will I ever see that day when you will just do as someone suggested you to do or this day is unreal? Sata drivers ARE that Intel Storage Technology. Perhaps it will install not just driver but little program (don't know why it should be on the system). If you want to install driver from Intel site you should look for IRST http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&keyword="irst"

About low-format... I believe that if you install all Sony programs in a proper way it would work even if that settings you are trying to wipe had been existed (i hope i did not make a grammatic mistake). But you can try to format before windows install

 

Did you create recovery disks when you first started the computer?

If so, you will be fine.

Also, have you looked in the Vaio Control Center? You can turn your touch pad on and off under Start / All Programs / Vaio Control Center / Keyboard and Mouse / Pointing Device. You should first check to see if the driver is installed, then check to make sure that the pointing device is turned on (there is a check box in the location above).

It is always possible that you had a hardware failure (the touch pad), but most likely, a correctly done clean install will make your computer better than it was out of the box.

I have given simple directions in prior posts on how to perform a clean install with a purchased copy of Windows 7 a couple of times, a few in the last week or so. Try these directions, they work if you follow them.

 

he has no disk and he formatted recovery partition (if i remember right). He has no option in VAIO Control Center because he already have managed to install windows 7 and installed vaio applications wrong (again if I remember right).His touchpad was working on the oem windows however when he began to install new windows touchpad stopped working. I have already told him everything what he can do except ask us to give him our recovery disks. The only thing what I did not even tried to tell him was about NVidia drivers because I know nothing for solving this problem

 

Bellzemos - It's time that you give in and ask someone for a copy of their Recovery Discs or contact Sony and purchase them.

You are having WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS, for a process that is relatively uncomplicated.

You must restore your VAIO to its original factory conditioni to see if you have any of the same problems that you're currently experiencing.

There's little else any of us here can do to help you beyond that, until you have done it yourself.

 

There is another option.

When the F11 originally came out, "clean installs" were abundant on this forum. There was an actual Sony instruction set that told exactly how to perform a clean install...which drivers to install in which order and when to install each utility software program.

All of these drivers and utilities are available on the Sony Support website, Found here. (You will need to change the model number to your specific laptop...this is for my F11) My first clean install was done this way...it was not until after the first computer was finished that I learned easier ways to accomplish the installs.

The only software that is lost for good are the third party programs.

Here is the Sony tutorial. Follow it EXACTLY!

Windows 7 Clean Install Process for Sony Vaio Computers

Good luck!

 

The touchpad issue is still really questionable though. The touchpad on the F11 should work regardless.

 

I already gave that link to Bellzemos, who thanked me, and then refused to follow it because they don't want to even install the drivers, forget about the other utilities they need to install for their laptop to work.

 

Why change the screen resolution? LCDs should always be run at their native res. Instead, simply go to Start / Control Panel / Display and change the zoom level from 100% to 125%. You will still run at 1920 X 1080 resolution, but your graphics will all be scaled to 125%.

 

I need to show up here more often then...I'm out of the loop!

Perhaps a troll among us? We have not had one in a LONG time here!

 

Oh this clean install drama has been going on for quite some time. It's like a soap opera at this point.

 

Any news about new F series on Sandy Bridge?

 

Kinda reminds me of another...

No, none that we've heard of.

 

Thanks James. I tried both enabling and disabling the USB selective suspend setting in advanced power settings. No difference, the USB mouse still wakes the pc from sleep.

Mike

 

I use the FF add-on NoSquint and I recommend to you.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/

A soap opera starring trolls. Glad I've been busy.

 

I use the same and also recommend it to erm, us older users!

 

35 & 1/2 and still 20/20 in one eye and 20/25 in the other. Sooooooooooooo grateful.

 

Crazy question, I have a f12 jfx/b that uses a 1600x900 res...is there ANYWAY to replace the screen with one that does 1080p?

 

http://tinyurl.com/256h9py

Any may we ask why you are interested in doing so? A lot if info about monitors is scattered all through this thread based on US vs. European models etc.

 

When I first setup my vaio I uninstalled Evernote.

By any chance, does anyone know where the install files are located?

Thanks

 

You can re-install it from Vaio Care.

 

You mean this Evernote? Remember Everything | Evernote Corporation

My laptop came with fresh start and I had no idea Evernote was part of Sony's preloaded software.

 

I am just one of those guys that isn't satisfied with whatever they buy and wants to improve it in some crazy way. Also I just like saying that my laptop does 1080 >.>

Btw I cannot find a good reason to upgrade the default 4GB of RAM to 8GB. Any suggestions?

 

Yep. I haven't used it but that's it. The program on the laptop is called Evernote for Vaio.

Edit: Link: http://www.evernote.com/about/partner/vaio/us.php

 

James D and everyone else, thank you for helping me, I will now format my HDD and fresh-install Windows 7 and the needed VAIO drivers. If I succeed I will post my installation process here. Thanx!

 

It's just one of those options that should have been decided upon purchase. The part is expensive compared to the total price of the laptop, a bit difficult to install, and reselling your old screen to capture some of the cost would be hard as well. Many who post seem to love the screen you have. My suggestion is to just enjoy. But if you do switch it out let us know the whole experience.

If you cannot find a good reason to upgrade RAM my suggestion is a 'no' as well. Graphics programs, video encoding, running multiple operating systems are good reasons for a RAM upgrade. But then again, RAM is cheap compared to your desire to switch out your screen.

 

Or use Google Chrome with the AutoZoom extension.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ocdkpkoaonnchdakgkmmcmnihhhgbjch

 

And also do not forget Ctrl and roll mouse wheel up or down.

 

Right, but with Firefox/NoSquint and Chrome/Autozoom you can set the zoomlevel to 125% and forget about it.

We are now at page 400 of part 5, it must be a special laptop we have...

 

Anyone know where I can get a backup/restore disc from? I need to restore to standard to return for laptop exchange. EU Vaio F13

There was no restore disc in box, need to restore OEM status

 

You can just use Vaio Care Recovery unless you wiped the recovery partition.

 

Did you decide on the Sony E? What are the reasons for your return?

 

Jpride, thanks again. I haven't deleted the partition just used upgraded windows

 

No sure now because the e series is just as noisy and rubbish battery life but really want a Sony

 

Returning because of the fan noise & lame battery life. Sorry for being negative

 

Maybe EC series?

 

This is not a Sony fanboy club and your candor is appreciated. The battery life is well documented and no one should be surprised. It's a powerful computer but the battery life could still be better. Fan noise is a big issue to some and others not. Also realizing a powerful computer needs to keep cool so this is something Sony has chosen to error on the side of.

When looking into comparable desktop replacements, i.e. i7 with midrange graphics cards are these units running at approx the same temps as the F or higher? Could a hotter running system be a problem, and if not now, could the heat shorten the life of the system? Concerning the poor battery life, could it be the fan that keeps the system cool be a contributor? One cannot have cake and eat it too. Fortunately there are many manufacturer and models to choose from.

 

Anyone know of a good color profile to use on the US 1080p screen?