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

Yes, I have a Windows 10 install icon. I won't be installing it as it's not compatible with the PMD. Windows 8.1 drivers should work with Windows 10, but there is a Sony Asia document listing the features that don't work with Windows 8.1.

http://www.sony-asia.com/microsite/vaio/support/GetWindows8/Limitations_EN.html

There used to be Leshcat drivers that worked with the GPU, but as far as I know those haven't worked for a long time.

 

For anyone interested I am still using my VAIO Z21 as my primary laptop. It was running Windows 8.1 and last week I joined the Insider program to test out Windows 10.

I have now upgraded from my 8.1 daily OS to Windows 10 build 10162 and it works very well. Even some issues that I had with 8.1 such as Wireless being slow to reconnect after resume from sleep are in fact now fixed. Power saving, Fn keys, capactive buttons, SD card, webcam, VAIO Control Centre etc etc are all working fine. I never bought the PMS so I assume that this doesn't work under 10 (same as under 8 / 8.1).

I don't plan on doing a clean install of Windows 10 on this laptop as it is pretty near to EOL but if I had to do a clean install I imagine the various guides on this forum will work using the existing Windows 8 driver and utilities provided by Sony.

Well worth the upgrade if you don't have the PMS accessory

 

Hey guys.
I am also not getting the Windows 10 upgrade icon on my Z2. I recently did a factory reset using the recovery partition and all the Windows and Sony updates have been installed including KB3035583 which is supposed to make the icon appear. From what I've read it won't appear if it detects something incompatible.

You guys that have had the upgrade icon appear, are you running the Sony supplied Vaio image or do you have a fresh install from your own media? I am guessing that there is perhaps an incompatible driver or software package that maybe the update is detecting as incompatible. Also I have a VPCZ226GG if that info helps.

Thanks.

 

Running Windows 10 10166 here without any issues. Everything working as expected. Just install the Windows 8 drivers available for anything not installed automatically. Only issue encountered so far is no OSD to show the brightness level - but it does adjust fine when hitting FN + F5 or F6.

 

Someone here knows how to activate Wake on LAN feature in BIOS so I can use the laptop remotely from my phone. Thanks in advance

PD: I'm using PMD with Windows 8.1. No issues

 

Hi All,

I bought a second hand Z21V9E/B last year..

The old owner installed Win8 and removed the original partition. I don't have the recovery CD either.

I prefer Win7, installed it but couldn't manage to get the external video card running properly, and I don't feel like overall performance is good.

Anyone knows how to obtain a recovery CD and bring this Vaio back to factory set up?

Thanks..

 

Did you try this driver:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=VPCZ2290X&upd_id=7709&os_group_id=6

some time ago I did fresh/clean install and no issues. I also tried several versions of leshcat drivers, but somehow always come back to original drivers.
I don't do gaming so few fps here and there make no difference to me...

Cheers,
Miki

 

Hey Guys! As most of you I have a Power media dock in use to connect other peripherals and a second monitor as well. Regarding the windows 10 upgrade I'm quite concerned the PMD will stop working or loose functionality. Does anybody have an experience already with Win10 and the PMD? What works and what doesn't? Thanks for your comments!

 

Hi Guys!
Recently I have upgraded my VPCZ21X9R to Windows 10.

Everything went well, all functional keys were working well,

but in several hours when I disconnected it from power supplier the computer suddenly switched off..

And it was switching off at my every further attempt to load windows (in 5-10 sec after switching power button on).

What it causing this problem?

For those who successfully installed Win 10: did you performed clean install or upgrade?
thanks in advance for your help

 

Has anyone had issues with extremely slow writes on their Z2's SSD? My wife uses her Z2 at work, and they were having issues with a software update. I had her bring it home to do some troubleshooting only to find out her write speeds were horrible. Sequential writers were about 40mb/s. I created a backup image, did a secure erase with parted magic and then redeployed the image. Write speeds are now back in the mid to upper 200's mb/s (it's a 128gb gen 2/sataII ssd) and it appears to be working fine now. Just uneasy about the drive now, wondering if I should order a replacement drive from ebay/china as a backup in case it happens again......

 

Hello everyone,

Random question here. Does anyone know where I can get the official Vaio Z case from (VGP-CKZ3)? I'm really desperate for one. I'm looking for one either new or a used one in a good condition. Thanks

 

Interesting it says DON't UPGRADE YET! in red and then when click here for Windows 7 SP1 it says: VPCZ2 PASSED all basic tests!

http://www.sony-asia.com/microsite/support/win10/en/windows10_7.html

Anyone done it?

Does the PMD still work as no reference to it on tests done!

 

I'm using VPCZ217GH upgrade from pre-install Windows7Pro to Windows10 via Microsoft Media Creation Tools(by select upgrading option). I was upgraded by not connecting PMD first. and connected again after finish upgrade. The UI is more friendly when adjusted UI text size. Generally every things fine.

I found some problem list as following
1) At first, go to your Device Manager. I found that SD Card reader(Realtek PCIE Card Reader) driver was got a yellow !.
So, just right click on it and select Update Driver Software -> Search Automatically for updated driver software (Make sure you connected to internet). this will fix this problem.
2) ATI Driver will was not recognize. After I connect PMD first time. So, do the same as 1).
3) Go to your Vaio service website(Difference in every region. Mine is Asia Pacific) and download VaioCare 8.XXX. Install it.
4) Sometime If you cannot adjust your brightness(by pressing Fn+F5/F6), go to check at Device manager. You can found that Monitors driver(Flat Panel) sometime disable it self( I don't know why).
Just right click on it and select Enable.
5) Finger Print reader and Truesuit are not working properly. This will include that you can not using finger print reader in logon screen
also if you try to setup finger print logon in Windows Hello. It will said something wrong. I still cannot solve this.
6) Undock Bottom cannot use when we want to undock PMD (Not thing happen when pressed and Undock option is not in Power menu at the place we want to Shutdown or Restart).
Only one way to do is to Shutdown. I still cannot solve this and I think this is important to me because I usually undock from my desk go to discuss works and come back to my desk at my office.
7) When shutdown, Blue LED at PMD connector not going off.
8) At first 2 days, I got problem that system freezed at logon screen then need to press down the power bottom to turn it off. I don't know why but this problem is disappear after I'm using it for 3-4 days.

I'm still looking for solution of problem 6-7. If some one can help. Thank you.

My system is
VAIO Z - VPCZ217GH
Intel® Core™ i7-2640M Processor
8GB DDR3 SDRAM
256 GB(Samsung Raid SSD 128+128)
13.1 inch wide (Full HD: 1920x1080)
PMD with Blu-ray Burner
AMD Radeon™ HD 6650M 1 GB DDR3

 

Hi

I have the VPCZ227GG and installed Windows 10 as an upgrade. The PMD works for me with the undocking button and the blue light turns off when shutting down. I just don't know how to get the AMD GPU to run for games etc. Does the external GPU work in Windows 10? and how can you tell? The driver appears in Device Manager as AMD Radeon 6700M Series,but I cant seem to use it. Display properties just shows the Windows Basic Display Adapter settings.

Does the AMD GPU work under windows 10? Also the brightness control does not work for me under basic adapter.

May switch back to Windows 7 if the external GPU doesn't work.

 

My wife's Z2 recently developed SSD issues. She uses it at work, was getting blue screens and what not, so she brought it home. I found out the SSD was seemingly on its way out. Sequential write speed was about 40mb/s, pretty terrible. Backed up and secure erased the drive, got writes back up to 140 but obviously to slow still.

Instead of buying a replacement 128gb or 256gb, I decided to buy myself a 512GB drive for my SVZ and donate to her my perfectly good 256gb SATA 3 (6.0Gb/s) drive. Her 128gb was SATA 2 (3.0 Gb/s)

Here are the benchmarks before and after on her Z2

 

I've got a ckz3 i might consider selling since I mostly put the z2 in my bag now. not used it for months. It's in reasonably good condition, but with visible scuffing . I'd say a 7-8 out of 10. do pm me, for more info if you're really interested.

also considering selling my z2 and its accessories, either together or separately (bpsc27 extended battery, PMD, etc.)

Re: windows 10, any improvements for battery life? I use chrome and can only get 3.5hrs out of it now =\ will consider upgrading to win10 now if there's a useful increase in battery life.

 

Well my sheet battery is only showing 0% now after charging all night?
I have it off for long periods and was 80% max now 0%???????
The orange light on front is blinking? this used to stay on when charging and then turn green?
Far left corner of keyboard.....
Main battery 100% to 86% as I type this post in power save mode?