Official Sony VPC-Z2 (VAIO Z 2011) Series Owners' Thread

The SSD on Z2 can be replaced when it dies?

 

So please anyone will the new 1920x1080lcd fit my Vao z2 with native 1600x900 res (because my native lcd is damaged )

 

Same problem. With a SA and a Z2, both running Win7. Sometimes, the connection succeed immediately, sometimes we have to go several times through the "Troubleshooting problem" to be connected (always an IP problem, solved by reseting the adapter).
I had the same problem with a TZ21 under Vista.
Never had any problem with other (XP) (non-Sony) laptops...

 

@Deodot:

I got myself one 64GB SDXC, its reporting 42MB/s, so this does mean that its not limited to 30 MB/s, but yet again, no Speed info were written on the packaging of my card except Class (10).

I think your card will be actually faster than mine.

Also if cash is no problem, opt for a MemoryStick Dual Micro SD Adapter and buy 2x16GB MicroSD, this will make you Avail another 32GB at your disposal, inside the Memory Stick port beside the SD one.

Currently I have extra 96GB using this setup.

Will

 

But you have no solution for this problem, right? Or do you know what the reason can be?

The only difference in my case is that I have to reset the router to solve the problem temporarily, not the wireless adapter.

 

By any chance, Is anyone selling their PMD?

 

There have been two or three on the NBR Marketplace within the last one or two months as I was interested a month ago. They may still be up for sale. So check on there.

 

Here you go:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/notebooks-desktops-sale/641695-fs-vaio-z2-blu-ray-pmd.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/computer-components/642128-fs-vaio-z2-bluray-reader-pmd.html

 

Awesome, thanks a lot

 

Try changing the power saving mode for your wifi to "Maximum Performance" in both Vaio laptops (it's in advanced power settings in Windows). My slightly older Wireless N router has compatilbiity issues with the newer Intel Wifi chips in new laptops, and specifically in my Z2. It causes the network to drop out when using a newer power saving feature, and the router has to be power cycled to solve it. "Maximum Performance" effectively disables this power saving feature from bringing down the network, but of course leads to less battery life (not significantly, that I can tell).

I found this out myself via Google a few months ago, seems to be a universal issue where newer wifi cards conflict with a poorly-implemented power-saving feature on older routers. I'm going to have to get a new router at some stage :-(

 

VAIO Z???? 2012???? ??????? - YouTube

 

I think it would've been cool if they had a white or silver keyboard with the silver z2. That's one of the main reasons I sold my Z1 was because of the silver chassis with a black keyboard....

 

Thanks for posting. I know that Silver is very generic, but I really like it. Maybe, it's time to upgrade from the Z1. Thanks.

 

It would also have been as dumb as the '06->Macbook Pro was.
Silver backlit keys = invisible legends in marginal light.
White = tacky.

 

No definitive solution.
When the problem occurs, Win7 solves it, sometimes directly, sometimes after several tries. At another location, with the same type of router, I never have the problem. Maybe a difference in the router config, but I'm not the owner of the second one, so no way to compare, unfortunately...
Something to notice: once the Z2 is connected, everything runs fine. It never disconnects, even after a night in sleeping/hibernate mode.
Strange... If I find something, I will post it...
Philippe

 

I have a nagging problem and don't really know what to search for on the internet, so maybe one of you here has already solved it:

I connect a bluetooth headset with my Z. Now every time I connect it, windows seems to install a new driver (see it on the "Device is now ready" notification icon). I would not care, but I have to switch my VoIP Phone to the new device every time I connect the headset. I am at "17-Bluetooth Audio" already, and I saw in the registry that there are 17 entries under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Capture - so my registry also blows up.

The same happens when I connect my mobile phone as an audio player. Anyone knows what this problem might be caused by? Thanks!

 

There is more than just Apple's way to do things. I was thinking more along the lines for silver but a darker silver for the keyboard, or like a gunmetal. As for white, I think white can look classy.

 

hello I see I have a wwan Gobi 3000 on this laptop VPCZ21V9E/B but I am unable to find where to pun the sim card any ideas?

 

where I could find photos with 1600x900 and 1920x1080 display to view how it's looks like I mean desktop, folders, icons size etc?

 

It's on the back edge of the unit. You have to close the screen to get at it easily.

 

Can anyone point me to an extractable Realtek NIC driver for the Z21?

The Sony site has the typically helpful - not - monolithic executable, but I need the drivers themselves in order to do a WHS recovery.

 

Vogelbund : Fot the .exe you ould use uniextract 1.61 to extract the drivers from installer

 

Thanks, +1 10char

 

Arrrg. Not working.

WHS Restore has worked flawlessly so far (even on Boot Camped Macs) provided correct LAN drivers supplied. I've downloaded the driver on the Sony support site, extracted it successfully.

Now, WHS picks up the LAN adapters on the Z2, and when I insert the Sony-downloaded drivers on the USB stick it appears to ignore them - and what drivers WHS seems to be attempting to use natively doesn't work as it can't find the WHS.

WHS does need 32-bit drivers. Is that the problem? If so where would I get it?

 

This doesnt solve the problem for me, unfortunately...
My settings were already set to "Maximum Performance"...
Thanks for the tip

 

Thanks for the help locating the sim slot for the wwan modem.

However I did a clean install, everything works except the wwan modem, it doesn't show up on device manager. did installed the provided drivers and connection manager, nothing. I remember I had this issue before with the previous model, the wwan modem just dissapears.

any sugestions on this? anyone ever had luck with this? please advise

 

BIOS update just appeared on VAIO update -> BIOS - R0172H5 -> Improved ACPI management of battery.

 

That was available on the US web site about a month ago. I can't say it's made a difference for me.

 

Thanks for the answer

 

^
Wow...I never knew that such an adapter existed. I guess I will order one of those to replace my 32GB high speed Memory stick. I already have a class 4 32GB microsd...so I will buy another one and I will have a total of 64GB in my memory stick slot. Together with my 128GB SDXC I will have a total of 192GB of storage. Excellent!

 

The Sony Style of my country have Sony Vaio Z for $4,500 or $3,900 with Sony Corporative.

- Intel® Core™ i7-2640M processor (2.80GHz / 3.50GHz with Turbo Boost)
- Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit
- 13.1" LED backlit display (1600 x 900)
- Power Media Dock™ with AMD Radeon™ HD 6650M (1GB) graphics and CD/DVD player / burner
- 128GB (64GB x2) solid state drive with RAID 0
- 6GB (4GB + 2GB fixed onboard) DDR3-SDRAM-1333
- No wireless mobile broadband
- Internal lithium polymer battery (4000mAh)


Is it expensive for this configuration?

 

I would say yes. In the US I got the 8GB 256GBx2 with the battery slice for a little less.

 

Thanks for the reply!
I also read about this issue here in the forum and this was the first thing I tried. I changed it just for the "Plugged in" mode, though, because when I am using the problematic router, my laptop is always plugged in. But it did not solve the problem for me.

So my case is a bit different then, because I often get disconnected from the network. I suspect that this happens when there are already many devices connected and one more connects.

Thank you, I will also let you know if I find out something.

 

hi, about to buy the new z2 (gotta love the discount). anyway, has anyone done any benchmark testing between the 3 processor options? i'm planning on getting 8gb ram, so i'm wondering if the i7 is worth the money.

I do vid editing and some decent gaming / emulation as well.

 

So i am thinking about getting a Z21. I like it a lot, the only thing that make me doubt, are the SSD because it is tiny. But as an external disk weight is almost nothing that is fixed.

But i've heard that the sound is not too good..is that true?Or is it bearable?

 

Silent mode is silent. Performance mode does a good impression of a small vacuum cleaner. You just have to tailor how it runs for you.

 

since it seems your needs require a high-performing laptop, i would go with the i7. i haven't done any benchmark, just going off personal experience. just beware that the CPU fans get quite loud under high load but that's the price we pay for having full voltage (performance) CPUs in a thin laptop. if the sound gets annoying, you can just switch to Silent mode.

the built-in speakers are crap. but i never use them anyway since i hook the laptop up to a desktop speaker surround system when it's docked, and use my SonyEricsson MW600 bluetooth headphones while on the go. i have a logitech pure-fi portable speakers that can go very loud with good mid-bass tones for when I need good sound while i'm away from the desk.

 

Oh, I thought he meant is it noisy.

The speakers aren't just crap, they are in a whole different universe of suckage. But as the guy above says, I don't really use'em either for my needs - but if this one notebook is your only notebook, yeah... that's a problem. And external speakers are your only answer.

 

hey guys, how much do you think i could get for a base model z2?

 

MicroCenter has the base model for $1699.99 USD. Plus you get 5% off of that if you join their rewards program, which cost nothing.

or wait for one of those 25% off flyers and get it at the Microsoft Store, but at the retail price of $1999.99

or tax free at J and R for $1699.99.

 

ebay

Sony Vaio Z VPCZ212GX/B VPC-Z2 i5-2410M 128GB SSD +Sony Leather Case+Office 2010 | eBay

 

I think you can get better deals on Sony outlet. I am trying to make a decision between the sa, se, and z2, but each one has something of a compromise. I am a backpacker and I need something compact yet powerful for graphics work. The sa has all the right specs but a bad screen. SE has a better screen but with the orange tint problem and is a bit larger and heavier. The z2 has a much better screen but no internal bay for a second hdd, and I would unlikely keep the pmd because it takes up extra space, meaning I'm stuck with Intel be 3000 graphics.

It's a hard decision. A new sa or se with i7 is about $1300 at the moment, and a refurbished z2 with i7, 256gb ssd, 4gb RAM, 1600x900 is about $1450.

I was thinking about the z1 as a possibility. My impression is that I can install my own standard SSD, and swap optical drive with a HDD. Is that right? Is the 1600x900 screen on z1 just as good as on the z2? How does the screen compare to se?

I'm also having a problem finding an affordable z1 with similar specs.

 

I'm reading a bit more about the Z, and I'm a bit confused about the actual weight.

Is the 2.57 lbs just the weight of the laptop itself?
So if the PMD is 1.52 lbs, if I travel with the laptop and PMD together, it will be a total of 4.08 lbs, heavier than a SA at 3.65 lbs?

Does the PMD work without power? I had the impression it doesn't.

The more I read, the more inconvenient the PMD seems.

I just want a SA with the Z 1600x900 screen, with the ability to put in my own SSD and swap the ODD with a HDD.

I'm not sure but I think I'm starting to lean towards the SE but I really can't stand the problem with reds turning to orange on the SE screen, and it's larger size is not convenient for backpacking.

 

Yes, only laptop 2.57 lb, add PMD becomes heavier than SA. No, PMD doesn't work with battery power.

 

don't forget, the power adapter for the PMD is a brick. i wouldn't advise using the PMD as a portable item.. it's just too much to carry along. i'd go with a z1 if you need the built-in discrete graphics & optical drive bay. they're also light as f*ck and the display is bright & crisp.

 

Has anyone had any experience with sending their Z2 in for repairs? I bought my Z2 last October and a couple months down the road i've been having problems with my Raid 0, it would crash alot and I'd have to reset the RAID and reinstall Windows if I had to do a hard reset when my computer froze. Anyways I did not send it in then because it would take too long.

Fast forward to March, I noticed that my screen hinge was loose and it would wobble, also I noticed some white spots on the screen. The phone tech said I can drop it off at my local Sony Store. I did that late Tuesday, today I called and they said they have to ship it to Texas because the store did not have the parts. So I guess it was sitting there 3 days, he said he would talk to his manager to try to have it overnighted to Texas on Monday. And then I have no idea if the parts would be in stock or it would have to be special ordered from Japan which would probably take 6 months.

Has anyone ever sent in their Sony computer for repairs? I've just been googling and seeing people with Sony computer repair nightmares. I guess I am just used to Apple support services and warranty. I'm just so pissed off right now. This was supposed to be their flagship model. In the meantime I have no computer at home to use. I have to goto campus to get things done or print some things. I bought a PS Vita and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 in the meantime to keep me sane.

 

I am in the same position as you, however yesterday i wanted really bad a Z2 an today i am leaning towards a Sa.And it goes on and on.

I love the Z2 because of the weight and i can get the base config with i5 and 4Gb ram, 128GB SSDfor 1499€.
Or the Sa with i7, 128SSD, 8 GB ram for around 1399€..
With both if i buy before the 26 of march i can get the extra battery sheet for free...

 

What would you use the extra HDD for? i.e. would you consider one or more 64GB or 128GB USB keys alongside the Z2?

 

I'm starting to do a lot of photo editing in RAW and need more space than 256gb. At the moment I've maxed out 320. I could possibly use usb keys but usb 3.0 keys are a bit expensive and its inconvenient using multiple ones if I need to access more than one key at a time since the z only has 2 usb ports and only one that is 3.0. As I keep 2 copies of everything I would need to hook up 2 or 3 keys and an external hdd at the same time to backup, or possibly 2 hdd.

The z1 doesn't have 3.0, although I could live with that since I can put a hdd in the odd. But I can't find a cheap one. Usually they go for almost thre same price as an equivalent z2. Sony outlet no longer stocks the z1.

 

Yes, some. I sent mine in for a warped/bowed screen and a blown speaker. It appears they replaced both speakers while they were in there, but said the screen frame was within spec and left it untouched. They took a long time to complete the repair (3 weeks) and communicated very poorly. At least it was returned undamaged, but that's the only positive aspect of the experience.

Good luck,
Stu