Official VAIO E Series Owners Thread

oh hot dang. So i can\t get a mobile GPU? Anyway will the Intel HD be enough for my task? because i think matlab and all that can be offset by the cpu...the cpu is really powerful =)

 

You don't need any extraordinary GPUs to run Matlab or any similar application. The better GPUs are primarily used for 3D graphics processing, and mostly are necessary to run latest games. Intel is weak in the 3D area and your laptop will run only older games (made before 2006) acceptably. The only exception is the Nvidia graphics cards that now have libraries that allow Matlab programmers and other software developers to offload some processing to the GPUs (because it turns out that they're good at doing computations in parallel). I think it's called "CUDA". But anyways, Nvidia is not even an option on E-series and CUDA works for parallel stuff only.

Yet, the i5 should be pretty good for matlab. First, it has Turbo boost, so if you have scripts that finish in about 1 minute on i3, they will run much faster on i5 (its not of use for scripts that run longer because CPU overheats and slows down). If you can parallelize your matlab code with matlab's parfor loops, you can make your code run at least twice as fast though since i5 is dual core CPU. All in all, for Matlab, it's best to have (in order of importance)

1) Lots of memory (today non-issue as all laptops come with +4GB)
2) The fastest _per core_ CPU you can get (threads, other parallel stuff is pretty primitive in MATLAB).
3) If you can use parfor, going quad-core may speed things up compared to dual core.
4) Get high end Nvidia card, but CUDA works only for parallel stuff, probably needs some coding.

So, an i5 system with 4GB of RAM will probably please you enough. If you need things to work faster learn to use parfor.

 

well dude i agree with u, this i5 will help alot. Though I will be doing scientific/engineering computation and maybe computation on something unknown/beyond . I will be using matlab and such, but i will also be doing propulsion research (maybe warp drive) and research (by myself..personal and explict) on the unknown/unseen/beyond (hard to explain and mind consuming aspiration.). So and i5 would be fine. Though I will be doing data analasis, audio/video analysis (like getting data and algorithms of it) and doing 3D modelling and such. So i thought the intel HD cards will bottleneck me Looks like it won't. I don't know I thought u can put in an extra card if needed? Anyway im pretty sure the i5 will help and the intel HD card probably isn't for gaming but can be useful for my task..I just can't take big chunks at a time though

 

Hi I just got my sony Vaio.. cheers on that.. But i got some problems. I think battery care function is not installed in my laptop.. and I can't find any installers in the web? does anyone know where I can download it? My laptops model is vpc-eb190x..

Thanks in advance..


Edit: I just saw it.. it was disabled. To enable it i need to go to vaio control center > power management > battery..

 

You shouldn't need to install anything, it comes installed on a new laptop. The option is in VAIO Control Centre > Battery

 

I see.. thanks mythdat.. Btw, if im going to do a fresh install with my sony vaio.. will the 3 buttons still work? or all i need is in the recovery disks?

FYI: Im planning on instaling Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit..

 

Hi - got my new Sony Vaio e-series and having huge issues connecting to intyernet - can connect to my work router no issues, but when I go else where i get told i am connected (.e.g. home/motorway service area etc ) but when I try to load a page I am not connected; problem solving dowesnt fix and I have tried so many things I am stumped as to what could be the issue - any suggestions?!!!!!!!

 

Ok just ran 3D Mark on the gf's laptop, before doing so i disabled all the sony bloat, but other than that the drivers are all stock, also it is still the old bios version.



Pretty close to mine guess the difference would be the fresh install / newer drivers, but its certainly higher than 6200.

 

You'll need to install:

Sony Firmware Extension Parser
Sony Shared Library
VAIO Event Service
Setting Utility Series

Well.. that's odd. I have no idea why both of your machines are running full speed when everyone else's seem not to be, especially since your gf's is basically just stock from factory..

I'd like to know why, though!

Dumb question, but you are using the default 3DMark06 settings, right?

 

Thanks for the help Mythdat.. you're the man..

 

No problem. Oh, and if you want to use the WEB button to quick boot, you'll also need Quick Web Access. You can only get this from the recovery DVDs, along with other software like WinDVD.

If you're not going to install VAIO care, you'll need a copy of the recovery tool to extract them from the DVDs - make a copy of the "VAIO RECOVERY" folder in /Program Files(x86)/Sony, then when you've done the clean install, you can use VAIORecv.exe to install software and drivers from the recovery DVDs (or partition if you keep it).

 

For the record my vaio E reaches similar scores to JonnyCasino's GF's vaio.

6619 3DMarks when at 450/790 and 7823 at 585/900. I don't know if my Core i3 has something to do with the sligthly lower results compared to JonnyCasino, or it might be the 10.4 drivers I use, or something else! But I certainly get no score as low as 6200ish.

 

Yeap. I have created the recovery disks and also going to install the vaio care as i didnt delete the recovery partion by sony. thanks for the tips..

 

Hi folks,

If anyone is interested I'm selling the original battery that came with my E series laptop (UK only). It is new, I bought the extended battery along with my laptop so I never used the original battery. It's still in the protective sleeve.

I'm selling it in the market place section of the forum - link

thanks.

 

could some one explain a bit of fundamental to me? is the GPU actually configured by default configured to be used side by side with the CPU e.g. will it help in opening say something common like Microsoft Word? Or is is that only application optimized software to use the GPU can actually use the GPU and the CPU like a game or VLC 1.1.1?

 

Well, okay, correction then - everyone else I've seen post scores previously has gotten ~6200

But 6200 to 6800 is a huge fluctuation for a laptop with standardised compenents, I'd be interested to know what's causing it. If it was more random - sometimes scoring 6200, sometimes 6500, sometimes 6400, it'd make more sense. But I've ran it lots of times - on factory state, on a clean install on the stock HDD, and on a clean install on the SSD, and every time it comes up 6200.

Confused!

The GPU will only be used, like you say, on an application that specifically makes use of it, otherwise it idles and clocks down to save power. CPU and GPU aren't really interlinked, they each do their own thing.

 

I'm installing 32bit windows and i think the sony softwares, drivers are not compatible with 32bit.. any idea where i can get 32 bit installers?

 

You could maybe try looking on the support page of an older Sony laptop. Or just use your 64bit install, unless you really need the Win7 Ultimate features

 

Since it won't allow me to edit settings in the free version, I guess thats the default settings I'm using.

 

What is the stock battery capacity in mWh and what is the mWh in high capacity battery? does anyone know?

 

Stock Battery is 3700 mWh. There is no High Capacity Battery provided by Sony for this laptop. Sony Style UK Customer support confirmed this.
You can however buy an extra standard battery for £149 if you are in UK. Similar options would be available worldwide.

If you use any other make then it would be at your own risk and I would rather suggest you not to use third party battery in this lovely piece of gadget ;-)

 

ahhh.. ok.. thanks.. but sony style US is offering high capacity battery for 100$ which i also ordered.. I thought i got the standard battery cause i dont know what is the stock battery.. By checking it in BattaryBar software, it appears that my battery capacity is 5,700 mWh.

 

Stock battery is 4-cell 3500mah. Although the name is misleading, the replacement battery offered by Sony for £149 is actually an extended battery 6-cell 5000mah.

4-cell 3500mah = VGP-BPS22
6-cell 5000mah = VGP-BPS22A

 

Bought the 5000 mAh battery and it does basically what it says, gives 50% more battery time for me. Makes more of a difference than you might think, but guess that depends on how much battery you need to use daily.

 

how many hours it gives you with your 5000 mAh?

 

holy hell, guys, guess what a friend of mine tried, he took the battery of one of his laptops(vaio nw), opened it up, replaced the cells inside with a battery pack he managed to shove in there, which he got online from a lithium ion battery store. the new battery is a 10000mAh battery!..like holy hell!! the laptop just went out of power today, its been running for several days now with normal use...all right!

 

For all those who have the problem of a whining cpu or some crazy high frequenced sound, do the BIOS update and DISABLE C3/C6!

It will be blown away!

 

I'm kinda lucky the high frequency is not present in my vaio.. So I cant help you with that but I updated my bios.

BTW, im playing blur with highest setting (1366x768) right now and im using HWmonitor to monitor the temperature.

1. ACPI - 68Celcius
2. Intel Core i5 520M - 68Celcius
3. ATI HD 5470 - 67Celcius
4. Hitachi HDD - 37Celcius


Are these temperatures ok? or do i need to buy a laptop cooler?

Cheers

 

Looks ok,here its a tad more

 

does anybody use a windows 7 sidebar gadget to monitor the temperatures?


Edit: I just found 1 and its working great.. here's the link.. http://download.orbmu2k.de/files/GPUObserver.zip

 

I was about to say these look high to me, on my Vaio the highest temp I've noticed was 59 degrees and that was pushing a 3D Mark 06 test with a 620/920 overclock.

However just noticed in your sig you have a 5470 not a 5650 so I'm unsure what temperatures are like on that card.

 

does anyone know what software sony bundle if you get the blu-ray writer or blu-ray drive?

 

windvd-bd 10

 

Can somebody confirm if -
Metallic Sony Vaio Logo is Engraved on Lid for EB Series with Glossy Black color
Or
is just printed in plain

It is definitely METALIC and ENGRAVED in case of Matte Black Color...

 

I think they are all engraved

like they all have the vaio logo on them in silver, i just realized what you actually mean, i misunderstood, you mean an actual metallic vaio logo moulded into the top, some have that some dont, i think, that all the glossy models have the logo just spray painted whilst all the plain color ones are engraved.

 

Hey guys, I asked this in the main forum but probably best to ask here.

Does anyone who has gotten their custom E-series in the UK with a Blu-Ray write know the model of the drive?

Mainly I want to know if it can record on Blu-Ray DL Discs (50GB) ones.

 

I looked at the manual of the E series, and it says that if you have a blu-ray writer, you can write dual layer blu-ray discs, i.e. 50gb ones.

you can check out the user guide here
its on page 43

 

I have a glossy white and a glossy black sitting here and I wouldn't say that they are engraved, simply have vaio in silver labelling on top of the glossy finish.

I put up some pics a couple pages back here is the one showing the cover CLICK ME

 

Super! Thanks for that, now I feel even better about this laptop.

If I could find a way to unlock the integrated graphics for better battery then I'm even more loving it but now i'm just pushing it probably

 

This is completely hypothetical so I havent got the faintest idea on whether or not it will work on a notebook, But usually in the computer's BIOS, when you start up the pc, you can select where your display adapter is, i.e. you can choose whether it is onboard or in pci-express. Choosing onboard, will disable use of the graphics card and should enable whatever integrated solution there is. Downfall is that you will have to restart everytime you want to switch between the two. Try it on another laptop(i'm guessing you havent gotten the eb delivered), I dont have any with a separate graphics card.

 

You can not choose which display adapter to use in Vaio E-series BIOS. Options in there are very limited. Basically all you can enable/disable are boot devices, processor power saving options and intel VT.

 

and save changes

 

Thanks.. even I was also of the same opinion until I saw one glossy brown with engraved logo in on of the shops.. Probably things changed in EB2 series.. Fingers Crossed ;-)

 

Can you please confirm this is for EB series and not EA series?
Are you sure even Glossy Black has the logo painted like this and not engraved?

 

why do they do this, even one of my hp desktops' like this, ?

 

This is for the EB (15inch) series yes and the glossy black is exactly the same as the glossy white logo wise, I have one right here in front of me (gf's).

The brown one you saw is not glossy as there is no glossy brown version, the finish may have looked glossy anyway but its not actually part of the "glossy" range which would be why the logo was "engraved".

 

Oh.. ok Makes sense. Many Thanks for the info ;-)

 

So the recovery discs aren't available for download anywhere? Sony refuses to send me new ones after a clean install (the backup got corrupted) and my laptop is f-ked up. According to them, they never received my 50 euro payment, and my bank won't give me a receit from that long ago...

 

you could do is ask some one here to upload the disc images so you can download them and then change the serial number after. i would but i havent gotten my laptop delivered yet!

 

Hi I have a new Sony Viao E series 15.5inch laptop. So its an i 5 with intel hd graphics. 4gb ram and such. So anyway today my laptop battery was low so I pluggeed it in to the charger. While it was charging I did multiple browser task and one download and an install. My CPU usage wasb't high but my power supply got uncomfortably hot This is snot normal, I was using it for like almost 2 hrs and like it isn't normai. Like when i first brought it, I was connected to a power supply for almost 5 hrs and nothing like that happened. I wasn't doing anything intense and i need to do intense stuff for uni. This laptop is for engineering/scinces. SO like is it normal to have a hot power supply or do i have to return it?

I got scared, either way I think its poor thermal mangement either by me or the model itself, because in turn sometimes battery pack is hot, so really my model came with integrated intel hd graphics and I don't think it can run CAD, CFD and stuff like that. I know it can run Matlab but other extensive programming. I mean I don't even know if it can run image analysis (Matlab package). Though the E series in Sony site has a dedicated GPU im switching it. Unless u guys can convince me other wise?