Official Sony VAIO TT Series Owners Thread

Now that I've posted a bit of history, I do have a question that Sony can not answer.

This computer came with the following:
Product: 9680241/BSTOCK
Display: LCD 11.1" WXGA (XBRITE-DuraView™)
Color: Crimson Red
Security: Trusted Platform Module / Biometric Fingerprint Sensor
Camera: MOTION EYE® Camera
Wireless Wide Area Network: None
HDMI Output: HDMI™
Noise Canceling Headphones: Noise Canceling
Processor: Intel® Core 2™ Duo Processor SU9400 (1.40GHz)
Memory: 3 GB DDR3-SDRAM (PC3-6400, 2GB+1GB)
Solid State Drive / Hard Drive: 64 GB Solid State Drive [64GBx1]
Hard Drive: 320 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive [5400 rpm]
Battery: Large Capacity Battery
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows Vista® Business 32-bit with Windows XP Professional downgrade disc and Service Pack 1
Base Unit: VGN-TT190(3881)
Operating System 2: XP RDVD / FA08-IRX4520
Software Optimization: Fresh Start™
Pre-installed Software: Microsoft® Works
Software2: Works (NoneSE) / FA08-IRX4520
Finance Software: No Finance Software
AntiVirus Software: None
Storage H/W: SSD+HDD2.5 / FA08-IRX4520
Battery Color: Large Battery (BPL14\BLK) / FA08-IRX4520
Video Software: None
Optical Disc Drive: None
Label: NoWAN\HDMI\Blk / FA08-IRX4520
DLNA Label: No DLNA / FA08-IRX4520


Much of the above I understand, but not everything. Anyway, I assume that the 64 gig drive (divided into two partitions) is for the Recovery Partition, and for the Operating System. I'm now doing Windows Updates and so on.

The 320 gig drive is the one I'm puzzled about. It was labeled "Data1 (q " and Sony tells me that they never would have labeled a drive as "Q". There are 6 gigs of files there. I'd have expected it to be "empty". I wanted to know if I needed to keep what is there, or can I assume they're from the previous owner, and just delete them. One Sony technician told me to keep them, as they're probably part of the operating system. A second technician didn't know. A third technician told me to re-install the operating system, and format this extra drive. I guess I just felt rather frustrated.

I started out easy - all I did was rename the drive from "Data1" to "DATA" and rebooted. The computer came up fine, no problems. So far, so good.

I then used the disk utility to assign a new drive letter to this drive, changing it from Q to D. It seemed to work just fine. I closed the windows, and there was that "window" that appears when you insert a USB drive, asking what function I want to do (download photos, view with Windows Explorer, etc.). I didn't think this window should have appeared, so I changed the drive back to Q: and rebooted twice more to be sure all was still well. As far as I can tell, it's fine.

I'm still wondering what those folders and files are, and whether or not I need them. Here's the list:

folders:
_FS_SWRINFO
Autorun
boot
data
efi
IDF
Sony
sources

files:
Autorun
bootmgr
effsboot
HDD
snyhdrcv



My question, is whether or not anyone here recognizes these files, and might have an idea of why they are there? Can I either remove them, or what I would probably do, just create a folder labeled "Old" and move all that stuff into it for now. I can get a "screen shot" and copy the files here, if that would help.

If they are important system files, and they should be in place on a hard drive working in conjunction with a solid state drive, I'm sure someone will recognize this, but I have a feeling they're just something left behind from the previous owner, who returned the laptop to Sony with these changes to the drive.....

Any advice?

 

You boot from the 64GB SSD and use the 320GB HDD for storage

 

Hi glad you're pleased with your laptop. May be just put those files in the trash (or external device) but don't delete then reboot and see if you need it. My guess is that you don't but may be save those files somewhere first to double check if you're worried?

kendallj i will be sure to update when i get the RAID drives. I was hoping that the upgrade would be straight forward but there could a little bit more involved but nothing that i shouldn't be able to sort out.

 

Thanks.

Yes, my first thought was to create a folder labeled "OLD" and move all that stuff into it, so I could recover them if they were needed. That was to be the third step. First was to rename the drive from "Data1" to "DATA". Second was to change the drive letter to "d:". Third was to move the files. If still no problems, I could delete them (but would probably just leave them in the "OLD" file for a long time, just in case.

I've never before renamed a drive letter, and immediately seen a window coming up similar to Windows recognizing a USB drive. Maybe that's normal and typical, but I got concerned.

All of the above is relatively minor - the big thing for me was/is to make sure the laptop is working properly, then move over all my files from my Toshiba.


Since many of you are probably concerned with the size of the "System" disk, that seems like another potential problem. Do most of you with "small" SSD's (solid state drives) store your Program Files on the system drive, or in a similar directory on another drive?

(Until I found this forum, I thought it was just me.... I think a laptop like the TT is absolutely the perfect laptop for people who travel, but who want the power of a "real" computer, not just a mere netbook. I wish Sony still provided the TT. The Z is probably "better" in many ways, but the penalty you pay is in size. I've always wanted a portable computer the size of the TT; I can use a desktop for most of my work that I do at home or in an office.)

 

I'm even more puzzled now...

I went to install Microsoft Office 2010 Beta, but can't. After a search on the web, I found that the installation program needs to create a virtual Q: drive for the installation, and that's fixed - it can't be changed. So, if there is a drive in the computer labeled Q: it's not possible to install the Office 2010 Beta.

I'm even more puzzled right now why my TT has a drive labeled Q:. Unless I can find a reason not to, I'll rename it to D: which is what I wanted in the first place.

It's still a more or less "new" laptop; if all else fails, I'll format all the drives, and supposedly if I hit F10 during boot, I can tell the computer to re-install everything to as-new condition. (Having said that, I guess I've got nothing to lose by simply re-locating the files on my Q: drive and re-naming it. If things die, I can always go back to booting from the Recovery Partition...)

 

With all these issues from the past owner i would suggest that you do a clean install of W7 64bit/32bit. I know you've got Vista installed but i would upgrade anyway. It is slightly faster as well. I used my own retail discs. You can get everything working and all the drivers are on the Sony website.

 

Thanks, Rachel. Actually, I think most of the problems are due to my ignorance about the TT and solid state drives - never used either before.

Once I decided that I'd probably be re-installing everything from scratch, I no longer had anything to lose. So, I renamed the hard drive back to D: like I wanted it to be, and there were no problems. So far, so good. I then started to install Office 2010 Beta, and the problem from having a Q: drive was gone, so maybe everything is fine but for some "strange" stuff left over on the add-on drive.

I think I remember how you and several others had been inside their TT computers. Do you have any photos of what they look like when they're opened up?

Regarding Windows 7, I'm pretty sure that's going to eventually be what I'll be using, but I figure I shouldn't be changing too much before I even see what the TT is like the way it was delivered. I think Win7 is what I'll eventually be using, but while the laptop is still on warranty, I want to be able to call Sony for help if I need to.....

 

I think a lot of people who own one still have their laptops in warranty. I know i technically do.

Your model is a little different but they are essentially the same.
You can see some photos here.
http://kunkoku.livedoor.biz/archives/51534770.html

It is quite an upgrade to go from a Sony TR to a TT. Enjoy your new computer. Are you going to look into extending your warranty? Some people have done this before on other lines. I'm not sure if you get a full year warranty with a refurb now. The likes of Provantage sell cheaper warranty packages.

 

Thanks for the link - it looks like it's easy to get to the memory, but anything else appears to mean taking the TT completely apart.

No, I'm not going to extend the warranty - I figure if it works for several months, it's likely to keep going for a long time. I never could see much use in extended warranties, unless it's for a car. Anyway, the warranty that came from Sony Style for a refurb is 90 days.

My TR was wonderful when I first got it, but the only thing it has going for it nowadays is size and weight. My Toshiba was "better", but bigger. I guess to get what you want, you have to pay for it. My choice really came down to a Z or a TT. Comparing the TR with a TT - yes, it's like comparing an abacus with a calculator!



Have you (and the others here) had any problem updating your drivers? I ran into a problem with three of them (maybe I should have done things in "safe mode"...).

In System software – setting utility series update – I got a message that the new driver may not have installed correctly. Not knowing what to do, I just closed the window. The same thing happened when installing the updated driver for USB registry patch – this program might not have installed correctly. (These error messages may have come from "Program Compatibility Assistant".)

The technician at Sony Style told me to just reboot the laptop - if there were no error messages, all is well. I don't know if that is true or not, but I didn't know what else to do.

The same thing happened on the next driver I tried to update.




All the above are relatively minor issues though (I hope). I love the TT. The size and weight are perfect for me, it has a wonderful screen, and the issues you were all debating with the "track pad" seem to be non-existent on my TT. It's lightning fast, and the more I use it, the more I like it!

 

Sometimes that happens to me but this is in 64bit, sometimes i just ignore it and things are fine.


Lol, ok i've just bought the VGN-Z5 EU wwan board and card on ebay.



It is really hard to get this card as on Ebay you will find locked HP cards which is no good for use in a Sony. That unlocked card is worth over £100 on its own.

The reason why i bought it is because i wanted the unlocked UNDP-1 card. As it comes from a EU model this card is unlocked. It is impossible to unlock this, the only thing you can do is a hack which is not a real unlock so to speak. The card i bought of ebay a GTM382E is a EU card really and i can only pull up Edge speeds in the US. The TT in the EU came with a GTM328W a worldwide card but i did the upgrade aftermarket and could not get hold of this card.

I'm confident that i only stand to lose about £15 by selling the GTM382E and the VGN Z cable and daughter board with a sim card holder.

I know the TT2 models in the US used a locked Gobi card also so it should work and it is the better card after all.

Edited to add:
Btw, since i used the Sony wifi drivers last week i've not had a drop out since with the 5100. This card is a good card but problems can be caused by driver issues.

 

The TT model is gone from the Conics site. What does this mean? They told me that Sony was putting out a new new version of the T series next month.

 

I await with interest!

KJ

 

For anyone looking for a TT in America, every source I was able to find for a long time just told me to forget it, the TT was discontinued, finished, and if I wanted a new laptop I should check out the other models. Only in Hong Kong was I told that they were selling a "latest model TT, and had just received a shipment of them". However, doing a search for "tt series refurb" on Sony Style in the USA seems to be displaying a never-ending lineup of TT computers for sale - every time I look, new ones appear, and are gone in a day or so, to be replaced with more TT laptops. I'm not as good at this as you guys (and gals), but the prices to me seem very reasonable! http://live.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCatalog?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10551&in_dim_search=&keyword=tt+refurb&x=0&y=0

Rachel, I don't know enough to understand how you're doing the wireless add-on. First question - does the TT have a "card slot" that accepts some kind of card such as the one you've just bought? Presumably that card has a slot for a SIM card? If so, are there any "universal" cards (unlocked) into which I could insert an AT&T SIM card for use in the USA, and a suitable card for use in Asia? Is this something you can easily add to the TT, or does it require a full dis-assembly?

(Speaking of that, using the link you gave me, I found a translated version that is somewhat in English, not that it makes all that much sense to me: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://kunkoku.livedoor.biz/archives/51534770.html )

 

Guyyyy -- is *this* the RAM you bought to get you to 8GB? I just *really* want to make sure...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...94386&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_1111wt_1165

This is the same place you talked about. However, they don't say it will support TT190. When asked, the reply i got from them was 'what you see in the picture is what you get'...but, you recommended them and i was expecting a better reply.

The logo of an 'M' in the pic does lead me to believe that it is Micron.

Thanks...

 

About the wwan, Sony use their own mini pci daughterboard as a WWAN add on for all their models. If you look in the link to the pictures i gave you will see in the pictures in the upper right hand corner the daughterboard and connection cable.The models in the US do not come with a sim card holder. There is a place for the sim to be inserted but it is covered over but you can remove that. The EU/Asian models do come with a sim card holder on the daughter board.
To use ATT you would need to solder a sim card holder to the daughter board. Very rarely the EU ones turn up on ebay. I was lucky enough to get mine direct from Sony in the EU and that is only because i know someone that made this possible for me and they did my upgrades.

The daughterboard is this part IFX-517
US part-
A-1599-659-A
COMPL_IFX-517(EVDO) (S)

The EU board part-
A-1599-658-A (HSUPA)

You also need two antenna and need to put that in the display on either side. Removing the display doesn't look hard but it is not something that i wanted to do so i got someone else to do it.

Antenna
Laptop Miscellaneous: ANTENNA, WWAN MAIN Factory Direct $23.16

Alternate Part Numbers:
1-754-611-11

Laptop Miscellaneous: ANTENNA, WWAN AUX Factory Direct $23.16

Alternate Part Numbers:
1-754-612-11

You also need a connection cable.
183578811 FFC(MBX191-IFX517,IFX526


You can get sim card holders of ebay. You just need to make sure that you get the right type. Lol i did try and solder a sim card holder onto another board in the past and gave myself burns and made a mess up of the job. So yes don't attempt it unless you're experienced.

This looks interesting
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIY-Sim-Slot-...uting_CablesConnectors_RL?hash=item33544c9b36

Then you would ideally look for an unlocked MO0402/GT382W or a SonyUNDP-1. You see some unlocked HP cards etc but i would stay well away from those.


In regards to Conics if you see this thread you'll see that a forum member contacted them and Conics stated that they didn't have any official confirmation.
New Model Vaio TT to come soon?

It would be VERY strange if Sony just abandoned the premium ultraportable market as this is what they have got a reputation for. I guess we just have to wait to see what they do. With this division 1 and division 2 may be we can expect more models from them this year.
The latest Fujistu P770 looks interesting but that is a 12" and i just wish you could get it in white haha.

 

Is there any way to get a recovery discs for the Vaio TT, hopefully in the UK?
I have just bought one that has the recovery partition wiped and with no recovery discs. It is running Windows 7 and I currently I don't have any discs for "clean installs of Windows 7".

I am not entirely sure about it's model as it reads VGN-TT4 only on the laptop. However, it does have a SU9600, 4GB, 256GB SSD, Bluray drive.

P.S. I'm from the U.K.

 

Rachel, you're a lot braver than I am. Any time I go "into" my computers, I see it as an invitation to disaster. I guess I shouldn't be so pessimistic.

I assume the reason you've done those modifications was to gain internet access via some kind of cell-phone technology using parts provided by Sony, that fit within the TT computer.

After considering and re-considering, I think I would be better off personally in either using one of the AT&T USB mobile phone devices that I've used in the past. Insert the device, install the software, and I get a good internet connection using an AT&T mobile phone connection. I believe it's US $60 per month. I've got no plans to do this right now, but I've done it in the past and it worked just fine.

When I'm overseas, I've found (just testing, really) that I can plug in a Nokia mobile phone and just use it as a modem. It's easy to do, and I just pay the mobile phone rates.

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

Back to this topic - I too wish there was a way to simply download the full "recovery partition". For that matter, I wish there was a way to download the full driver set for a TT laptop. I'd like to file both away on a CD or DVD for the chance I might need all of it someday.

 

chfshifteryou could call Sony and you can buy some from them.
Have a look in the BIOS may be or vaio control centre under system info to see it displays more about your model number.
I think even your serial number and product ID would tell Sony the info that they need to know.
The discs should cost around £30.
http://www.vaio-link.com/computing/vaio/contacts/phone.aspx?l=en_GB&m=VGN-TT4


mikemyers, i use mobile broadband, it is quite cheap in the UK. I get 1GB free with my home broadband company every month. I just instert the mobile broadband data sim into my laptop and use the connection software and that is pretty much it. Also, it is very easy to get cheap PAYG deals here on Ebay. You can get 3 months of access for under £20. If i travel i also just buy the mobile broadband PAYG sims i need online before i go. Mobile broadband sims are not the same as most sims you will find in mobile phones.

I think that built in mobile broadband is such a much more elegant solution really. I find usb dongles quite obtrusive looking. The TT does have an express card which i would use if i never had built in mobile broadband.

About me being brave, lol well i do worry when i open the laptop. I've had mishaps in the past. My TX i had an accident with that and also with my iBook but i don't let it deter me and it happened because i was either over tired or didn't use the right tools.

Opening the TT is not hard though, it is pretty easy actually. I'm not actually taking the whole laptop apart either. After i do the RAID upgrade i don't plan on opening the TT again.

 

Either things are very different where you live, or I'm just very ignorant of things I thought I understood. What are "mobile broadband data sims"? I assumed all SIMs were the same... Also, what is an "express card"? Maybe my TT has yet another feature I'm not yet aware of.. I agree with you that a built-in wireless solution is better than a dongle sticking out from the laptop, but unless I can find wireless at prices more like what you describe, it's just way too expensive here in the US. I could have bought a TT with built-in wireless, but it was not for AT&T, so I didn't really consider it. I mostly would use wireless in Asia..... My solution for now is to use my Nokia phone as a modem (but only overseas, not in the US, at least not until they make the rates more affordable.)

 

I've had a look at ebay.com and i've seen cheap PAYG ATT data sims on there.

The sims are different because they support slightly different things. Even with usb dongles or express card slots you can still use those sims, just insert them into your dongle or express card slot. May be you can even use them in your phone.

I've tried tethering once or twice but i prefer to free up my phone.

See how some are sold in the UK.

I don't know if i'm falling for marketing lol.
This seller states this-

Others sort of imply that the mobile broadband sim won't work in a phone but i don't know for sure.


It is best to do what works for you best really. If something is working well then may be stick with it.

The TT does have an express card slot.
It is situated here.


Edited to add:
Things are quite different in the UK, we only have sims over here but you have EVDO networks in the US that don't demand sims so things will be different. Although the ATT/Cingular et al networks should be in theory quite similar but we have more of a market for these cards in the EU.

 

Interesting, it just reads "VGN-TT4" in BIOS as well. I also have a pretty "handsome" serial number with strings of 0....I wonder if this is special model or what...

**UPDATE**

I phoned the customer service line and they told me this is a customized laptop...no wonder the serial number is so special. Btw, they told me I've to pay almost 50 pounds for the recovery discs...is there another way round it?

 

That is quite steep for those discs. I got W7 retail discs through my uni for £35. I also got the W7 upgrade discs from Sony. It was sure cheaper than £50.

If you're a student and your college is registered to MSDN you can get it through them for free.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/default.aspx

I have bought a disc for another model from the US Sony store and when i got it wouldn't work. It was model specific.

All of the TT4 models are custom lines in the UK as they never sold any preconfigured models.

Edited to add:
You might want to take a look at this thread as well, if you want the Sony discs though that is the only way to go through them.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428068

 

mikemyers, i use mobile broadband, it is quite cheap in the UK. I get 1GB free with my home broadband company every month. I just instert the mobile broadband data sim into my laptop and use the connection software and that is pretty much it. ]

How do you check your MOBILE BROADBAND usage >>>

I notice that when using SPRINT specially UTUBE the speed rate usage is very fast other than that it is fine.My plan costs me $60 a month for 5GB.I wish they had a PAY AS YOU GO PLAN like VERIZON.Past month I didn't use anything however I do need it.The other day I was out in the road and forgot my credit card and cell phone over the house.I pulled over accessed WWAN + SKYPE talked to the wife and she got things straighted out.It it is very useful indeed.

By the way this is the SOFTWARE I have used during a 30 day trial.It is good because if you go over the 5GB the extra cost for MB is pretty expensive.

http://bandwidth-meter.net/

 

@ zimbros12 If i really want to check i'll just log onto my account line and see how much usage i have left.
I only use it lightly and have only very rarely downloaded stuff so i tend not to check right now.

My UNDP-1/Gobi 1000 upgrade went very well. I'm using the Z5 drivers.

Btw, since i moved over to W7 i just cannot get my bluetooth to work and cannot add my phone. I don't know why this is. i've tried every driver possible but so far i've had no luck.

I would like to replace the thermal paste with ICD7 but i don't know if we have easy access to the CPU. What i mean is as long as i don't need to remove the motherboard etc then it's easy access to me. I tend to do this with all my computers. The TT manages heat OK but if i can reduce the temps even further i will. With summer fast approaching i want this notebook to stay as cool as possible also. If i do i'll post my results.

The drive i need for the RAID and RAID connector should be with me in about a couple of weeks. My friend in the US just took delivery of the parts. I'm debating to extend the warranty of the drive with Square trade as well.

Edited to add:
Lol after all this time i finally sorted my BT problems and it was my fault. My overzealous power saver settings turned of a crucial setting in the system config options and i forgot all about that. Well everything is working now.

 

I'm not sure if this will help or not, but after reading all the discussions about adding RAM, I've been sending emails back and forth with "Crucial" to see what they can sell me when I'm ready to order some. The kept telling me that Sony says the TT will not take more than 4 gigs of RAM. After telling them that people in this forum have been able to install 8 gigs, I just received the following email with a link:

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,

Thank you for contacting Crucial again. At this time I can send you a link for 4GB modules. However we do not guarantee compatibility nor will we be responsible for any shipping costs, damage to the system or the memory failing in the system. Because the manufacturer themselves state that the system max is 4GB and you are going beyond that.

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CT51264AC800

If you have further questions, please visit the Crucial Community at http://www.crucial.com/help. For sales questions, try our online chat service at http://www.crucial.com/company/contacts.aspx. Our hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Mountain Time). At Crucial, we are committed to providing high-quality products and reliable service and support.

TINA BURNEY
Sales and Support Representative
-----------------------------------------------------------------


Maybe this will help out, but I'm not even close to being ready to upgrade to Win7 yet....

 

I assure you that model 290NBX works with 8GB RAM.
When I asked about it, they (mem-store on ebay) said because it has the GS45 Chipset it can take the 8GB of RAM. 2 different people for sure can comfirm on 2 different models that this indeed works. Those 2 people are myself and NECTOP (although there may be others).
I have no real use for the RAM, but I looked at it as a project.
8GB RAM will work. As Rachel pointed out, my pair looked like they were Micron Memory.
That upgrade is as good as gold. The only other upgrade I can comment on, is my 160GB Intel X-18m G2 which is too Golden, fast and reliable.

Welcome to the world of The wonderful and powerful (for it's size) Vaio TT.

 

Guyyyy, is it possible that while the 290NBX works with 8 gigs, the TT190N won't? I only asked Crucial about the TT190.

(I wanted a TT so badly, and was so frustrated, that I never really looked into the different models until I came here, after buying mine. I had been so certain I was too late, and wasn't going to get one, that when I found a page full of them at Sony Style Refurbs, I grabbed the one I liked most the following morning. Do you know of a website that lists all the different models of TT, and what the differences are? ...the people at Sony Style often don't have any idea what a TT is, so they're not going to be much help. I've learned more from this one discussion item, than everything from all the other places I've looked at, combined!)

 

Well nectop who guyyy was talking about tried the ram on a EU TT1 model and it worked. As long as you update your BIOS you should be fine. I say should because well unless it has been tried no-one can give 100% reassurance on anything.

Also Micron looks to be part of Crucial to me so may be for all intents and purposes for those in the know Micron ram that you get in notebooks may be= Crucial ram.
They seem to work together anyway.

http://www.micron.com/

Edited to add:
I'm thinking of going for 6GB myself for now. I think i'll stick with Hynix ram. I know i will lose out on symetric dual channel ram but still still 6GB is still better than 4GB regardless. However, it might make sense to do this upgrade now whilst i'm upgrading other things as it may save me the bother in the end having to dismantle my laptop again. May be in the future i will upgrade to 8GB.

I may also just stick with a single 4GB module if i notice changes in power consumption.

 

Quick question - when chfshifter was trying to find replacement software for his "recovery partition", is this something that someone else could simply copy it from their computer and send it to him? I'm guessing that it's not legal because it contains operating system files, but since it may or may not include model-specific information, maybe it isn't the same as giving away an operating system kit, which I know is not permitted. Assuming that it mostly has the VAIO TT specific information, there should be nothing wrong with sharing that with others, right?

Second question, is there any website from which someone can download ALL the drivers that apply to a TT?

(...or is this part of what is included in the "recovery partition", and if I back that up from my new TT, will I have what I'm asking about here? Today or tomorrow I'll be creating the "recovery CDs that I'm supposed to be able to create from my new laptop, to store away for the future.)

 

If you create recovery discs from your TT, you are basically saving a copy of your partition. If your hard drive crashes, you can still put in the DVD and install the factory settings (Windows + Sony applications).

If you don't have recovery discs and you lose your partition on your hard drive, the only other way is (if Sony costs too much for recover discs) to put in ANY Windows 7 installation DVD and then entering the activation code / keys from your ORIGINAL TT (Windows sticker at the back of the laptop). This is perfectly legal as you are using your own original keys. This would also mean having to download and install Sony-related applications.

 

As stated earlier, I go purely on assumption and advice here. I assume because Sony only offered this with 3 processor:Core 2 Duo SU9300 1.2GHz, Core 2 Duo SU9400 1.4GHz, and Core 2 Duo SU9600 1.6GHz that the motherboards all used the same GS45 Chipset. When I queried Mem-Store on ebay, they said that because they used this Chipset, 8GB of RAM would work.

You can see my advice from Mem-Store, and my assumptions there on the Chipsets and processors. I would think that no matter the model you have, these micron modules would work properly because I assume all the TT motherboards used the GS45 Chipset, but I could very well be wrong on that.

You could always give it a try when they become a little more affordable, if they are too pricey for you now, and if they aren't go for it!

I hope that helped.

 

At the rate that I'm going, maybe in a year or two I'll be ready to add new RAM. I've got a lot of catching up to where all of you are, and I'm struggling to move ahead.

Rightly or wrongly, I figured I should get everything working with the Win Vista Business that came with the laptop, if for no reason other than that if I seriously mess up, I can always get back to the starting point using the recovery partition. I'd rather have Win7, but now it's "like", not "need".

For as long as I'm in the 32-bit world, my 3 gigs of RAM is all I can use anyway. As soon as I get Win7 (64-bit) I'll be able to go for the 8 gigs, if people here still think this is a good way to go.

I keep checking the prices of TTs on Sony Style in the USA ('cause I'm sort of looking for a docking station) and the prices for TTs seem to be going up day by day. Very strange. Docking stations never seem to appear, nor do standard batteries.

I've been trying to read everything here about upgrading to Win7. Sony gave out free upgrades for Win7 up until January or February this year, so they must have an upgrade kit that works with no problems. I haven't yet found if they can sell me a copy. However, if I do that at all, I might as well go for Win7 64-bit (if they have it). I can buy one from the local store tomorrow, but I'm not so sure it is going to work without problems.

My biggest "problem" isn't really a problem with the TT, but with how I do things. I'm gone for 6 months of the year, and during that time my laptop is my whole world. Then I come home, and I've got a far more powerful desktop with dual-monitors, a large keypad and mouse, and everything else I need/want. I'm trying to find a way to keep the two in "sync", so I can use the desktop at home, and the TT when I'm traveling. I know several ways to sort of do this, but nothing that I like. If any of you have a similar situation, how do you manage it?

 

I did a clean install of W7 with retail 64bit discs and everything works. My computer already came with Vista 64bit but that had no bearing as i did a clean install. Sony provide all the drivers for the newer models to get everything fully working.

You will lose some apps though. Some things you cannot download from the Sony website like the Intervideo dvd and software like photoshop.

 

Mike,

Check eBay routinely for accessories for your TT.

I bought a new docking station about a month ago for $70.00 and see them on there all the time.

And speaking of, what a disappoint that docking station is, though i knew it when i bought it -- no HDMI out, no AUDIO out. And, you have to raise the lid on your computer to turn it on or take it out of hibernation. Not very well thought out by the Sony engineers (IMO). Not worth the original >$250 retail price but i guess an ok deal at $70 bucks.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. I know I'll be doing this at some point, but not right now. I'm leaving on a trip overseas in early May, and there is no way I'll be ready in time if I start this coming week. I like Win7, but I can live with Vista Business for a bit longer. Then I'll do a clean install of Win 7 64, and based on your experiences, I expect that to work. I'll be under no pressure time-wise, so if it takes a week or a month or longer, no problem.

Thanks also for the info on the docking station - I agree. I don't need it $200 worth, but at $70 it would be handy.


Right now I don't know if I should feel frustrated or thankful! The part of me that plans ahead thought I should create the Rescue Disks, just in case. The problem is/was, I never had time until now. Well, I bought an external CD/DVD unit, Sony #DRX-S70U-W yesterday. Sony had assured me when I bought the laptop that creating the Rescue Disks would be very simple. Ha!

I plugged in the unit, and installed the software CD that came with it (Nero software). At least I knew the CD/DVD burner was working.

I then tried to follow the instructions on how to create the rescue disks, as listed on the Sony support site. No go - when I clicked on "create disks" I got an error message " cannot find the recovery drive. If you have not removed the recovery drive....." So, I got into a chat with Sony. They assumed (as I did) that the problem was with the CD/DVD unit. When nothing worked, they asked me to go to the BIOS, and set things to the standard options. I'm pretty sure this was wrong, as that removed "external drive" from the boot sequence. I did it anyway, but as I expected, nothing was fixed.

Quite a while later, they wanted me to boot and press F10. Stupidly, I did so, and I must be very lucky because absolutely NOTHING happened. I ended up with a black screen, and was able to re-boot. Only later did I read here: http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?threadID=180388 and realize how close I came to disaster.


The end result is they want me to send back the computer and have the drives re-imaged. They want me to call Sony support and learn how to do this. Nuts!!!

I didn't mean it, but I was so upset I told the support people they had three choices - tell me how to get my recovery partition working, send me a set of disks, or I will return the computer.




From what you've all told me here, I don't absolutely need the Recovery Partition. All my data is on a separate drive, and if worst comes to worst comes to worst, I'll install Win7 earlier than planned. I'm rather upset at the Sony support people - I think I know more than they do, and I'm the one asking for help. I learned my lesson once more - don't do what people tell me to do (in this case hitting F10) as the results could have been a disaster.

I've done the hardware tests since all the above went on, and the computer seems to be in good shape. I suspect the Recovery Partition is defective. There's still a chance that all those mystery files and folders I found on the hard disk drive, labeled Q: are necessary for the Recovery to work, but I doubt it. I guess right now I feel a bit burnt out.

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

Anybody here know what happens when you press F10 during a boot? Does it look to the BIOS for something? Does it look for something special on one of the drives? Everyone seems to know what's "supposed to happen", but nobody I have spoken to knows what goes on inside the computer when someone presses the F10 key....

 

(Having said all that, I just noticed that Vista Business can create both the normal Windows backups I've been doing on my other laptops, and also a complete disk image of both drives. I guess that second option is something they suggest you do a couple of times a year. I'm now thinking that once I get that done, I'll not need to be so concerned about the Recovery Partition - other than for wanting to figure it out anyway, 'cause I'm stubborn about these things.)

 

Sorry for posting so much. I'm getting overwhelmingly frustrated, not with the TT, but with all the nonsense I find myself dealing with.

Ten or so years ago, I was doing the IT work at a small company, not because I'm an IT expert, but because everyone else knew less than I did. A company put in a big server and so on, and I got assigned to the job of changing tapes daily and weekly. After doing this for months, I was the only one stupid enough to ask the company "how do we know any of this backup stuff works?", along with telling them that the backups were going far too quickly. It turned out that everyone calling me a fool for questioning things had a different tune, when we found out that NOTHING was being backed up.

That leads me to where I'm at right now, which is to say I have lost any confidence in the ability to trust my Restore Partition, and I'm not even sure I would trust the disks that the software might create. I've given up on the whole thing, and am now following the full backup described here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/backup.aspx .



Three weeks ago, I never heard of this discussion. If I've been posting too much here lately, I'm sorry. One last thing - in trying to sort things out, I came upon this webpage which has some fantastic information for when/if anyone might ever need it: http://www.techsupportforum.com/mic...port/374052-sony-vaio-recovery-partition.html I wish I knew enough to understand things like this better.

 

howaboutnow you know this service manual you bought for $3.50 i've not been able to find it on the Sony website. Is it a complete teardown guide because i would like to know if there is a way to remove the fan from this laptop without taking the whole motherboard out.
The cpu is located under the fan.

 

Little Miss SuperMod --

The Manual for this is more of an 'exploded parts' diagram,,,I'm sure Sony wouldn't mind me sharing this with you, being a TT owner. They only really seemed to have charged me postage to mail it (it being a disk with a PDF file on it).

IM me when you see me online,,,or email me at v e n u s i a n d r e a m @ g m a i l (you know the rest).

 

Hello everyone,

I've been following this thread for a while, and I think it's really great. Your discussion really helped me, I did an upgrade from the stock 128 GB HD to a Lenovo SSD for example. Now may I ask two questions?
* First, after my upgrade to the tt, after dismantling the laptop, which was not so hard, the soundcard is not recognized any more. No sound - and no sound card in the device manager (windows 7). Do you know where the sound card inside is? Maybe I accidentially disconnected a cable?
* Second, I dropped the Vaio TT by accident, and the plastic near the display on top broke (on the side frame of the display). Do you know where I can order a new part in europe, especially in germany (haven't seen it on ebay)?

Greetings, John

 

Thanks howaboutnow.

johnhh, a proper teardown guide would for sure help. It looks like sound card is on the underside of the top case. It seems logical as well that it would be there as to get to the HD you don't actually dismantle much.


You could contact a service centre and see if they will order that part for you.
You can check here
http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/contacts/asc.aspx?l=de_DE&m=VGN-TT4

On another note i bought some ram today. Lol i was so fussy because i wouldn't settle for anything different to the Hynix
7-10-F1 that i had lol. The last timings probably make no difference also but i wanted an exact match of what i have.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350258358702&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

Will this help?
http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2008/01/07/service-manuals-for-sony-vaio-laptops-notebooks/

I can't find TT yet....

 

rachel,
i too just bought 8gb of ram from hynix! i've only installed one of the modules (so 6gb total right now), since i only want to open the case just one more time once i get a hold of the bd-drive (probably from ebay... the prices are slowly inching downwards... must* practice* patience*).

i haven't noticed any dramatic speed differences in speed going from 3 to 6gb right now. again, i don't use this for photoshop or anything.

golgo13

 

golgo -

What model of TT do you have?? Can you post a link to where you bought the RAM?? --thanks!

My opinion, but i think you'll only see performance increases when you are doing things that actually involve the need for more RAM like:

1) Super-large data sets/models in Excel, Analysis Services or PowerPivot and the like
2) Running a DBMS on your laptop like SQLServer, again with large databases and analysis services cubes
3) Virtualization

I would say also for things like Photoshop and Illustrator, but how ridiculous that notion is with 64MB of video RAM,,why bother.

I would also think that a machine would boot faster if it only had to count 2G vs. 8G RAM. I'm prepared to be convinced otherwise however.

 

howaboutnow,
i have tt230nb. i purchased my ram from other world computing (macsales.com). i bought the 8gb ram set for the latest macbook pro. they have been excellent in all my purchases so far. i believe that they're hynix ram with their own sticker on them. they also give lifetime warranty, so no worries if they get fried for some reason.

i would hate to think i made a mistake by installing so much ram on my tt for no reason... maybe there is a hidden benefit somewhere...

g13

 

Racel, thank you for the picture. Could it be that the sound card ist the part on the lower right corner, where the headphone jacks are? I will check that part. An thank you for providing the link to the service center, I will contact them.
Well, also upgraded the TT to 4 GB Ram, and I took a 2 GB Ram part from the next local computer store, nothing special, and it works great. Greetings, johnhh

 

Yes that does look like it. The speaker cable is even plugged into that board. I hiope that your problem isn't too serious.

It can use more ram if it needs to though. It has 64MB of dedicated memory but can use up to 1695MB of RAM.

 

My SSD, RAID connector and ram showed up today. I will do the upgrade in a few hours. I will edit in and update later. I got the ram with the F2 on the end which i didn't want.

 

It came in in a good hour > weekend.
Waiting your report >
What else are u upgrading on this little powerhouse.L@@king at your sig it is
awesome.

 

I've done a few upgrades and have no more planned. I don't plan on opening this laptop again. I may change the thermal paste down the line but i will send it away to be done as i would need to remove the motherboard.

This was a TT36GD so i've done a few upgrades lol.

I have written about my experiences with RAID here.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/6205945-post21.html