Official VAIO SR Series Owners Thread

I am done with the install with a 500gb hd. All works well.

I didnt install these and please chip in if you know what it does:

HDD Protection : Does it work?
Intel SATA Non-RAID Driver : Do I need this?
Applications Uninstaller Software : What is this?
TouchPad Driver : No need. I use my Bluetooth mouse
Media Plus software : Sony stuff, no need
VAIO Entertainment Software : I see iTunes, so NO
SmartWi Connection Utility : What is this for? I saw Verizon and I uninstall

 

Actually from what i've found out it does still include the bloatware & trial software
The main difference is that they come in several technical specifications and includes Tier 2 support (you skip having to go through Tier 1 first).

Main reason i'm looking at the business models is that they seem cheaper overall than if i were to configure my own SR on Sony Style to the same specs (which was my original plan).
As for the rebate some people in here have confirmed the CTO's are eligible anyway if i'm not mistaken, so i was hoping to claim no matter which option i go with

I still need to find out about the IRSP since i'm in Australia & would prefer to have some sort of warranty/repair service available.

 

for the hdd protection, idk i guess lol, when i place my sr down too fast and it hit the table the hdd protection pops up, sso i just it at least sense it. I guess it doesnt hurt. I dont think it take up much ram.

 

I notice the SR screen doesnt tilt as much back as the Z.

Sound on the Z is much louder.

The SR glare is not that bad at all.

The SR left side palm rest get a little warm. It stay cold on the Z.

Fan on the SR is not loud. Very quiet. Fan on the Z is loud.

 

Even tough I didn't owned Z series, I agree with you on all notes. I think left palmrest gets hot because GPU is underneath it.

I love it quietness, my old Toshiba had enormous sound, heat... I don't understand why Sony included 2 modes: Perfomance mode-OK; Quiet mode-no need, Its quiet enough on Performance mode ,

 

I didnt like the two USB port side by side. They should have put one on the other side.

The mic and sound jack should be at the bottom, not upper.

Maybe a CD-less laptop one day on the Vaio.

Lock thing should be at the top, not bottom.

What are they thinking?

It took me 7 hrs yesterday from taking my 500gb hd out of my Z and put it in the SR and install a retail Vista and install all the necessary software. And in between all those Window updates and some serious HD scanning which I dont know what is going on. Perhaps 5.2K rpm is slow.

 

Who knows, maybe they're trying us to push to more expensive Z! I need one more port on left. Only having 2 USB ports is real pain... Since I've got Targus USB hub, now I have 4 low power port and 1 high speed port yay!!

I'd love to have wireless CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive. That would rip lot comfortably without heat and less noise.

Ergonomically many of these ports are disorganized. Maybe Sony designer was drunk...

 

The predecessor to the Vaio SR & Z, the Vaio SZ, is also like that. 2 USB ports only & next to each other on the Vaio SZ notebook.

 

Oh, sorry for my bad English, I tried to say that - it could be the reason why Vaio SR has got these bad ergonomics. (IMO, To make people prefer Z over SR)

 

How do your make the processor run at slower speed? You mean I can run the processor speed at 2 ghz?

I dont see where to do this.

How do you make the battery task bar to show how many hours and minutes remain? Right now it only show % of juice remain on the battery.

 

chong you seem to be having alot of probs, what the helld u do?

 

For real, every page there's at least 2 posts of problems or complaints.

If you bothered googling, I'll bet more than half your questions have been answered already. Your battery issue is probably cuz your OS can't predict the time remaining, maybe cuz of something you screwed up.

The port placement is pretty crappy - audio jacks at the rear [], display ports at the front [].

Dunno how you guys think this is quiet - sit in any empty room (doesn't have to be closed in) and you can hear the fan.

 

making me regret buying this damn lol

 

If you just bought it, simply returned it, and you can get full refund. And there will be one more item in SONY's outlet. Give other people a chance to buy a cheaper SR....

 

Why? Just some relatively minor quirks. Only negatives I think think of are just the port placements, fan noise, non-backlit keyboard (now I know why ppl want them!), "ok" battery life, the mess of stickers that aren't lined up properly.

If the Z had a better graphics card I'd go for that, but that's not happening at the moment.

 

Z is also way more money, how bad is the battery life and fan noise? i dont care about backlit keyboard, i dont look at they keys anyway lol

 

Haven't done a complete drain yet but at 50% there's around 1 hr 30 to 50 min. Add 50% with a 9cell (which works with the dock as well!)

Some ppl say it's quiet, but not to me. Different ideas on what is quiet and how you perceive noise. It's not terribad, but the rpm changes all the time so the sound is inconsistent.

 

so abut 3 hour 30mins battery life and a little bit of noise?

 

Others have gotten ~4 hours. *shrugs*

 

Sorry, its me again.

I seem to have trouble here and there.

I didnt get my bing cashback as promised. I had to manually email to the CSR and they had to manual inject it in. Another <60 days wait.

So if you are going to do this, be sure to put the hotmail in your order.

 

not sure but this might be that you are looking for
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=113653

if thats not it, then just google underclocking cpu

 

Doesn't need to be hotmail. The cashback account obviously needs to be Hotmail/MSN/Live but your order e-mail address does not.

 

My sr490 will be arriving soon. I ordered it from sonystyle and I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to do anythign special to receive the free windows 7 upgrade.

 

keep your upc code and all the stuff you recieved, cause you will need to upload pictures of a valid purchase, well thats how i did it when i bought my hp desktop

 

Pretty sure you don't need the UPC code either, or most of us are screwed since the productivity/mobility bundle requires the UPC. At most, the serial number of your system (found under your computer) and a receipt.

 

I just did my Window 7 and all it says is that it need a sales receipt and thats what I did. Where did a copy of UPC comes from?

I am sending it in. You can fax it but the text look small and it could make a mistake on fax as output is awkful.

 

I faxed in the receipt 3 days after receiving the email with the instructions. I haven't received a confirmation from the fax though.

 

Listen up guys, I think this maybe the SOLUTION for the legendary VAIO BATTERY DRAIN! ( Big thanks to Tassadar 898)

 

so what is it

 

One of the main points in me getting the Vaio was the 4+ hrs battery life as per a certain review with the standard battery.

I'm only getting 3hrs after full charge and it seems to drain fast w/ my screen at 40% and battery saving settings.

Not impressed so far...

 

Ok, and I have the cure for cancer.

Your problem is not battery drain, it's battery life.

 

I think the sony is pretty well built, light, with a quiet fan, and doesn't get hot after continuous use. Graphic card rocks compared to my old HP tx1000 and the battery life sucks but is still better than my extended battery from HP which didn't get over 2 hrs. Overall I'm happy if I get my trade up check, mobility bundle, and 100 rebate check = less than 800 bucks!

My biggest complaint is the sound on this thing blows! Seriously no bass and is quiet. Anyone else have this problem?

 

Yeah, the sound quality is just beyond crappy. Like listening from a cell phone.

 

Just curious. Did you test the battery thoroughly (meaning timing how long it took for the laptop to shut down) or did you only look at the estimated time which your OS gave you? I did a rough test and could get to that 4 hour mark but at no point did the computer say even "three hours left". It was pretty much 2.5 hours and stayed there until it started dropping. I'd say it was only accurate at the end of the test (~1 hour left) if I remember correctly.

 

repped ya!

BTW anyone figure out if it is possible to place a volume up or down mapping to the buttons on top?

 

Sorry all, I did edit my post but dunno why it didn't appear, I think it's my crappy Chrome.
Here's the link: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=402955&page=2

 

Is the sound really that bad? doesnt that take away the fact in playing any games on this machine? iw as hoping to play starcraft 2 on it when it comes out, but now that the sounds sucks i migth have to get rid of it

 

The speaker really sux but plug in your headphones and it will sound good
If you want more, try the Creative X-fi notebook (express card 34)

 

The speakers are bad. There's a clever solution around that.

 

Connecting Sony Headphones or speakers would solve the issue

 

so basically if i game, use headphones, and if i wanna listen to music plug hdmi into reciever

 

yeah i know, its just crazy that u spend over $1k and have to use $5 dollar headphones

 

Or how about just plugging in some reasonably priced 2.0 speakers to the speaker port? Seriously, I can't really imagine a situation where you'd need to use the computer's speakers. If you're travelling you will be using headphones to not annoy the people sitting close to you (unless you're a royal sh*t and should never own any kind electronics which leake your shi*ty tunes into other people's ears) and if you're stationary, home that is, you'll plug them into said (cheap) speakers anyway. Unless you're really, really poor and can't put another ~50€ to a pair of speakers and head phones to accompany that >1000€ laptop.

 

what do i do if im just laying in bed at midnight and wanting to play starcraft 2 ...just have the 2.0 speakers and wires laying all over me and my bed? LOL you obviosly didnt get the point, alls i said was how do you put crap speakers in a machine that costs over $1000

 

anyone got a recommendation on a set of small headphones and a 13.3 inch sleeve?

 

Yeah, that's a real pickle. Though, I heard a rumour that once you connect a device in the speaker port, you could somehow disconnect it and swap it for something else entirely! Crazy, I know, but worth a shot. Also I heard of a silly thing called "getting up and sitting your *ss down on a chair" but that's just crazy talk if you ask me.

Seriously, the lack of common sense on this board in certain things is really getting to me.

 

bottom line is, the notebook should have good speakers........it doesnt........get over it

 

I have gotten over it, as you can clearly deduce from my previous posts. But in all seriousness, I wouldn't except a high fidelity experience out of a ~1000€ laptop. Yes, in pure computing power it's very little bang for your buck. But as laptops go, the SRs are very much at the cheaper side of things and actually hit the sweet spot between portability, power and cost rather nicely.

 

Bluetooth would solve those cables

 

I'm having issue on resolution when using notebook on 1920x1080p (HDMI)

It connects and when 1080p is used I only see framed center of my desktop. I can't see top, bottom, left, right sides. (can't see taskbar, start menu) How can I change this? Anyone has any suggestions?

By the way I'm using it on 32" 1080p Bravia

SOLVED: here's the link