Official VAIO E Series Owners Thread

BigIan,

Thanks for that info, I have just ordered a battery replacement from sony...

Did you shutdown the laptop or hibernate? and was it shutdown with the plug in then removed?

Also, have you disabled any hardware, or uninstalled any software.

Thanks mate

 

I shut down the laptop and removed the plug from the power source.

I haven't disabled any hardware and the only software I have uninstalled is stuff like Norton,Adobe Reader etc.

All MS patches up to date if that is relevant and running Windows 7 Home Premium.

Ian

 

I guess list the battery number and the computer it was for

 

Hi Friends,

I want to buy a laptop having 4 GB ram , 320 GB Hard disk & Os - Linux with window 7.These are important configuration I want in my laptop, other then this not want to play games or movies on my laptop.
Basically I am a Drupal devloper(Php programmer) and I need it for my business purpose i.e doing coding for my websites and all .I think you understand what i want .

I am looking for VAIO(VPCEB14EN/WI/BI) , is it right for my use.
I want both Ubantu(Linux) and window 7 i.e dual boot installation in my laptop.

pls reply me as early as possible !

thanks in Advance
Regards
Gomesh

 

How much do you want for the battery. I would be interested.

 

hi sony owners

please guide me . i cant decide which to buy?
SONY VPC-EB12 or ACER 5740G

SONY VPC-EB12:
core i3- 3MB-2.13
RAM:4GB DDR3
HDD:320 7200 RPM
VGA:INTEL GMA HD ( 256MB)
15.6 INCH LCD
FEE IN MY COUNTRY: 950 $

ACER ASPIRE 5740G:
core i3 - 3MB- 2.13
RAM:4GB DDR3
HDD: 500 GB 5400 RPM.
VGA: ATI HD5740 ( 512 MB Dedicated)
15.6 inch LCD.
FEE IN MY COUNTRY: 820 $

acer has a 512m graphic card but sony is SONY and i think its better than acer
i have read all of acer 5740g owners in its forum . it MAY has some little problems but they said that the problem is solveable by updating bios.

i cant decide .
i want a laptop just for reading pdf books and for working with " vm virtual machine " software.( vm virtual machine needs more ram and cpu cache and may be faster hard . but it doesnt need graphic card )

what should I select?

which is BETTER . quality of laptop is important for me and I want to use it for about 2 years . ( about 4-5 hours a day . )

thanks .

 

So, I have a question...

The high pitched noise that happens every time I unplug the charger, is that a fault or not? Does it go under the warranty or is there no fix to it?

 

I emailed Sony to ask why there is no option for 2 X 500GB 7200rpm hdd on the 17.3" model, only 5400rpm. They replied and said phone their technical helpline. I had already spoken to them and they told me it can't be done.

I just noticed today that 2 X 7200rpm 500gb hdd has appeared as a £160 option on the 17.3" size E Series on the Sony website!

 

If you dont intend to play games the sony is better... i chose the sony eb16fg over the 5740g acer at the last min because the acer would have taken 3 weeks for delivery and i needed a laptop quick...i wish i had waited now as the acer now it would have been better for gaming as it has the smaller res screen(which adds about 20-30% fps) and a slightly better processor.

now that i have managed to get my drivers upto date and my 5650 overclocked at 650 clock and 950 memory i can play most games at native res on medium which im happy enough with but going on that i would have probably been able to play on high ish with the acer.

BUT the sony e series is a good quality bit of kit...my ONLY gripe is that the speakers r pants...but i play with outboard sound most of the time(and plugged in so i dont care that much about the battery)

Im playing dragonage origins and bioshock 2 on medium at 1920 x 1080 and its playable... i just wish i could change the screen!!

edit:: my card actually peaks at 73-74 degrees while under heavy load....is this ok???

 

Yes that's still ok.
As long as it doesn't reach the 80 degrees Celsius. That's bit of a critical point IMHO.

And when you overclock it's logic the temp goes up!

 

Why would be 80C a critical point? With stock thermal paste GPU in my Z used to reach even 100C. Now it's usually around 90C while gaming. I don't see 80C as a problem...

 

I would sell it for $50.

 

I think $50 because it sure isn't doing me any good. Email me [email protected]

 

Hi!

I live in Sweden and i own a VPCEB1S1E/WI (i3,5650)
I just installed W7 32bit Pro, and i cant find drivers anywhere to the graphic card. And i cant download drivers from ATi and use...

What should i do? Install W7 64bit Pro?

 

That doesnt seem to work for me, it'll just reset the values to the default ones when i click "apply".

I've also downloaded AMDGPUClockTool_v0.9.26.0 (which was the suggested version for the 5650).. but all it shows is the 2D clocks i believe, because they were both like 149MHz.

I'm using 10.3, which drivers are you who got this working using?

Edit:

nvm, i used amd clock tool instead, had to restart for it to work... 7568 3DMarks (3dmark06) quite nice for a laptop.

Good performance in games too. Bioshock is running at 45-75 FPS (50 FPS average) everything on highest, native res, even very new games like Battlefield BC2 is very playable on high settings. Pleasantly surprised by this laptop

Got an irritating clicking sound from the HDD though, that comes very frequently.. havent figured out what's causing it.. i tihnk it started when i uninstalled all the sony bloatware, maybe i uninstalled something for the HDD acoustics or something?

 

Can someone actually provide details HOW TO overclock your laptop SAFELY??? Thanks...

 

Never ever did I write that you should click apply. It's apply that's bugged. Edit in the numbers in the config file instead. That was the point. Profiles are loaded when clicking on the number, and clicking apply ruins it all. Also setting the gpu clock too high in the config will reset the values.

But hey if it works ok for you with AMD gpu clock tool, great! Hope you found a way not to have the gpu overclocked all the time with that tool, cuz there's no point in having the gpu running at 600+Mhz when browsing the web on batteries, for example.

 

I recently purchased the E series i3 / 5650 ATI laptop and have really loved a few things about it. The screen is sensational and not too glossy.

One thing I have noticed is that for a system with an i3 and a gig of dedicated graphics, it certainly isnt all that fast. If I am using dvd shrink, something that would take about 15 minutes on my desktop (dual core e6600 with 4 gigs of ram), takes about 45 -50 minutes on the laptop. I have also noticed that if I am transfering files across my network or even to different folders on the hdd while I am watching a video, the video lags on me.

Has anyone else noticed these types of behaviours? shouldnt this laptop have more than enough power to execute tasks like that quicker and without lag?

Any input would be appreciated.

Cheers,

 

Hi all, i'm italian so sorry for my english

I'm interested in 15,6" full HD model. Can someone post a photo of the screen resolution, please?
I don't know if that resolution is too high :-(

 

I tried that ofcourse (and yeah "apply" doesnt do anything except resets it so you have to change it back or restart the app, "apply" doesnt reset the file or anything).

The clock speeds doesn't change, they stay at a constant 150/150 and 450/790, it never went to 580/800 even though i've clicked the "2" profile.. in fact, after playing a game it has reset to 450/790 in the Afterburner settings panel, it will just say 580/800 there until you start the game and the 3D kicks in. I dont think editing the config file does anything tbh. Maybe it works with a certain driver (the reason i asked for it )

 

Hello everyone. I know I've asked this before but this is a slightly different question. I want to know whether the hard drive in the 14 inch e-series is a 2.5 inch drive? If it is then I guess it'll be 'easy' *cough* to replace the drive with an SSD - thanks to sj100 for some guidance on this.
So the modified question is, "Does anyone know who might know if the 14 inch e-series HD is 2.5 inch?"
I've googled a lot and also called the Sony sales team but can't find any info.
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

i have the same model and really i think it runs fine except for the hdd..i really notice slower boots and loading times of games as well as stutters occasionally. 5400rpm is bad..going to get a ssd me thinks for windows+programs .

Is there space for 2 drives?? havent even checked.

 

hi , i am interested in buying sony vaio VPCEB16FG laptop for gaming and mba purpose but i have a few question,
does this model support the latest ati 10.3 drivers? ,
i have heard that ati will not be providing the latest drivers for this model is it true? if yes can we modd the drivers and install it ?,
and in future can we upgrade the processor?


cheers ,
cool1

 

ordered today, now waiting for build updates!
Spec:

Quantity : 1
Product ID : VPCEB1X5E
Description : Laptop VPC-EB1X - Configurable
Optical Drive : Blu-ray Disc(TM) player
Hard drive : 320 GB Serial ATA (5400 rpm)
Wireless LAN : Wireless LAN + Bluetooth®
Processor : Intel® Core(TM) i5 Processor
Display : 39.4 cm LCD, 1920x1080, webcam
Graphics : ATI MobilityRadeon HD5650 1GB
Finishes : Black
Memory : 3 GB 1066MHz DDR3-SDRAM
Battery : Battery life up to 3 hours
Keyboard : English QWERTY keyboard
Memory cards reader : SD and MS card slot
Ports : Ports: 3 USB + 1 e-SATA/USB
Internet security : McAfee® - 60 days protection
AC Adapter : 1 AC Adapter
HDMI(TM) output : HDMI(TM) output
Operating system : Windows® 7 Home Premium

 

I'm probably going to pull the plug on this one at the end of the week. Any major issues, with hardware or warranty I should know about? or even a recommendation for another laptop?

 

yes its possible to use a modded 10.3.. its easy to mod them yourself too.

 

Has anyone been able to do a clean install of this model? Ive read the entire other thread about clean installs, but I cant find a single recovery file that has an .exe ext. No launcher.exe, no launch.exe, and the only recovery folder is just full of plugins

 

I've done it so it's definitely possible. Will help you in the Clean Install thread.

 

Ok so I got this laptop yesterday. Its the VPCEB17FX in black. I realized almost instantly that it is WAY too big for me. Unfortuntaley, there are no stores that sell sony around me, so I had to go based on pics online. I cant use something this big for school or around the hospital. It has probably been turned on for less than 3 hours total. Its obviously in brand new condition. I am willing to sell it for 900, which is 80 less than I paid for it on amazon 2 days ago. I would love to make a thread in the for sale section, but for some reason im not allowed to

 

Would you be able to post a link to a how to? I did some searching in this thread and on notebookreviews.com but was not able to find anything with clear how to directions. The closest I have come is this 241 page thread. I am sure others would appreciate being pointed in the right direction as well.

I'm hoping to modify the latest ATI 10.4a preview drivers released today (would be great to be able to benefit from the Battlefield Bad Company 2 video game optimization offered in the 10.4 preview driver) to work with the VPCEB1LFX/BI (ATI 5650) I just got.

It appears http://strags.com/ offers "CATALYST 10.3 WHQL certified unmodified reference display driver version 8.712.0.0000 with full Mobility support, including Sony and Fijistu (more than the official one on ati.com!)" for download.

EDIT:
I found some instructions on gamingheaven.net http://www.gamingheaven.net/hardwar...ns-how-install-latest-ati-drivers-laptop.html

Not sure if anything has changed since Catalyst 10.* (if that's even a relevant concern) but I'll give it a go next chance I get.

EDIT 2: I followed the instructions on a thread on the overclockerse.com forum and they worked for me with 10.4a preview
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=640977

 

Here is a link to my E series for sale if anyone is interested
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=477855

 

What sort of battery life are you guys getting on the E-Series? It's the only thing that could put me off I think, seems like a bargain of a machine!

 

i got myself a VPCEB1S1E.
i5, 4 gb ram, 1gb vieo, not hd screen.

i had many other vaio's before, and i can say that this one is not a bad one.
Surely, the plastic is not comparable to carbon in top series, but it is more then OK.

screen is ok - for gaming at least. i've tried Battlefiled 2, Battlefield Bad company 2, GTA IV - everything works on medium/high settings.

keyboard/mousepad - also fine, just takes some time to get used to.

didnt tried to clock video card yet, since everything i need - works, and i'm happy.

Did any one tried to put 8 gb ram in it?
as far as i understand it has 2 * 2gb now, and they probably can be replaced by 2 * 4 gb rams.
will windows 7 64 bit see all of it?

 

I guess it depends on what kind or programs you are working with but it seems like upgrading the hard drive would have a far greater impact on performance than installing additional ram.
And Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit can support up to 16 gigs. see: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(VS.85).aspx

 

yesterday i had a situation when app. 96% of 4gb ram was in use (not a regular situation, but still).

regarding hdd upgrade - surely its a great performance boost, but it is kind of expensive.....

 

What app where you running? Could it have been a memory leak?

A 2*4gb kit is going to be expensive, I think you might be able to get an SSD for the same price. I think most applications will have a greater performance boost from an SSD than an extra 4gb of ram (unless your running multiple VM's at the same time etc.)

 

i was running regular apps like msn skype firefox + torrents and i was installing something from a virtual cd, that probably was the reason for high load.

usually i have around 60-70 % ram free.


what would be the cheapest SSD, if anyone knows?

 

Hey guys and gals
Im looking at picking up a Sony Vaio (VPCEB1X5E) with this spec:

i5 520m
500GB Hard disk
4GB RAM
ATi 5650
1920x1080 Screen
Bluetooth and HDMI

But before I do it, I was just wondering if any owners out there could give me opinions of the machine (especially if you have a similar spec), is it heavy? does it run hot? Anything you don't like about it?

Just basic stuff, i've only ever owned a Dell notebook so im hoping this will be quite the upgrade in quality.

Thanks

 

Heavy is relative, you have to go to the store and try it yourself. IMO it is not that heavy as I had heavier laptops before and I don't carry them on daily basis. The fan is on all the time, so there will be a constant whispering of fan noise, but on the upside, the machine doesn't get hot at all. Under heavy load (ie. gaming), the area near the fan will be warm, but still comfortable to the touch.

 

Thanks for that
I dont know why I asked if it was heavy :S Must of got caught up in the moment!
How about any other impressions you have of the machine? I could probably ask questions about it until im blue in the face (Is the chassis sturdy, is the keyboard/trackpad nice to use etc) but I guess the best thing for me to do would be to get myself down to a Sony centre and have a look for myself.

One thing I will say though, compared to most other medium/high end notebooks in the UK, these Sony's are probably the most competitively priced

 

Thanks alot friend this will help alot of people

 

Well heavy or not is a common concern really, especially if you're planning to bring this laptop on daily basis I was just saying as for the weight you have to feel it yourself as everyone has different preferences.
In my opinion the chassis is sturdy, overall, but with some flex above the optical drive bay area. I don't know about the color offerings in the UK, but here in Indonesia I can only choose glossy black if I want the version with ATI 5650. If I can choose matte color that would be great as the glossy surface is prone to fingerprint smudges (this is totally individual preferences though).
Keyboard is nice to type on, I have no problem on the keyboard whatsoever.
Trackpad is nice according to me, but some people have complained about the trackpad surface (glossy with matte dots) is making the movement not smooth. I imagine people with dry hands like me would have no problem using it, but people with damp hands would be different. For this I think you have to go to sony store and try it yourself. I remember once looking at the NW series, I think this trackpad is similar to that.
About the noise, I mentioned in earlier post that the fan is on at all times, but in my opinion the noise is minimal at idle, or when you just use it for browse the internet, etc. It will spin up faster and noisier when the system under load like playing games.
The screen is nice, since you're getting the FullHD version.
Overall the laptop is nice and caters my need for a laptop. However, you should know that E series is a budget line for Sony, hence the competitive price tag. You really should see for yourself before deciding to get one.

 

I also found detailed instructions on how to modify ati drivers on another forum (which ended up being all I needed to get the ati catalyst 10.4a preview driver to work).
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=640977

So hopefully if you can't find information on one site, the other will have the answer.

 

Thanks so much for that mklasse, perfect post! I'll try and get along to a Sony Centre sometime soon. My problem is I always want what is just out of my reach, i've been looking at the Vaio Z as well and that looks great, except for the price tag hahaha

Anyway thanks a lot, you've really helped me. +1 rep as well

 

Has someone seen the EA 14" 1600x900 version?
Does the screen have good quallity?
Is it too small for photoshoping?
Other impresions?

Is multitouch a la apple available for the E series?
Inertial scrolling too?

 

I have just bought an EB1E9E this week. I've had a couple of problems and I wonder if anyone has any ideas. I am no computer expert and am really an end user. I seem to be having trouble with my bluetooth connection for my mouse, it doesn't come with any drivers, its a Razor pro/click mobile. when it looses connectivity it rotates the screen 90 degrees. Then I have to rerotate, shut down and try to reconnect. Does anyone know why?
The other problem I have it that the laptop seems to have blown the speakers in my headphones, they are under 4 months old, with little use. Ideas?
The final problem is a windows7 problem, I had a bad-pool header error
(0x00000019), its something to do with the SCSI configuration. What does it mean?

cheers.

 

I've seen the screen in the store. It's a regular quality screen, not the usual double lamp Sony quality, but hey you're buying the budget line of Sony... don't expect too much

Notebookcheck.de did a review about the 14" Vaio E:
http://www.notebookcheck.com/Test-Sony-Vaio-VPCEA1S1E-L-Notebook.28696.0.html

It's in german, but if you don't master the language, google translate will... (let's say it tries to master the language better than nothing anyway)

 

Glad i could help.
I guess most of us always want something out of our reach and I agree with you, that Z really is a nice machine, except for the price tag

 

What I don't understand is how Newegg has the 1920 x 1080 version with the 5470 and the 1333 x 768 version with the 5650...
Why can't the U.S. provide us with the 1920 and the 5650!!.... It's annoying.

 

hi, i was wondering if anyone knew whether the EB series has space for another hard disk? you know, like if i wanted 2 hard disks inside.....i'm thinking of buying it soon

thanks.