Official VAIO Z Core 2 Duo Series Owners Thread

Is this when you push the power button, or close the lid? Or does this happen when leaving it for a while (running on battery?)?

What you are describing sounds like it is going into power saver mode. Check the Sony powersaver (the battery icon) for its settings and see if this solves your problems.

 

Tried messing around a little with the power saving option doesn't seem to fix it, my option when the lid is shut is "do nothing" and "shut down" when I push the power button. I use the "fn + f12" as my "standby" button on vista bis 32bit. The problem happens around 50% of the time kinda annoying seeing as I have to do a complete restart.

Thanks

 

Thanks for the tips on how to remove the recovery partition.

When rebooting with the recovery DVDs one gets the option to remove the recovery data. This will leave a small partition with the Windows recovery tools and is much simpler then using the diskpart utility. I didnt know that this issue from Windows 2000 Server is still the reason for not being able to edit this partition in diskmagement, almost seems on purpose or are they really unable to fix these things?

I have been sucessfull in cleaning up the factory install halfway decent and its plenty fast no need for a clean install.

There is one way to shut off the sound that I have found so far. By clicking on the speaker icon in the taskbar one gets the volume control and clicking on the mixer button will reveal a slider for the Sony sounds. If this slider is not there then using Fn/F3F4 etc will make it appear. The sliders are locked together but there is a mute button. This will work but only for the session. Putting computer to sleep or restart will reset this setting. At least a relief but I will need to look for that soundfile...:SLEEP:

Btw, this computer puts out much better sound then my SZ with my headphones. They clearly use better circuitry and it is good enough to hook to a stereo. These are the things I care about much more then how scratched it gets or when the paint comes off. Actuallly I rather have my laptops look cheap and used that way hopefully the chance of theft is lower or someone might not waste their time try to crack the bitlocker encryption but rather send the thing back to me.

 

Yes, on my machine there is also often a bluescreen which is not showing on screen during hibernate. Its very hard to find the problem. Maybe a problem of the power management? After restart theres the "the computer was shut down unexpected" which gives information about the blue screen...

 

I would agree about the "laptops look cheap" - but it's not quite the same as having paint peeling off. I actually think the /B versions don't look flashy at all. The /X version looks a little flashier, but only if you're paying attention.

Also, I think that the sound output quality is still not on par with a dedicated mp3 player. If you care about that sort of thing though, just get an external DAC.

 

If you have the time, it might be worthwhile doing a clean install.

If that doesn't solve the problem there might be some hardware defect.

 

I am the poor owner of several Ipods and these don't hold a candle to the Sony Z laptop, even the older SZ sounds better by a noticeable margin. In comparison the Ipod's output is more fuzzy and less dynamic and flatter sounding and less lowend.Voices and the recorded space are much more defined coming out of the laptop. Pretty obvious with my Sennheiser 650 phones.

Yes, I could hook up a Appogee DAC but I can almost live with the output of this Z laptop that I can plug into a friends high end Stereo and its better then my Ipod for sure. What MP3 player do you use? I am interested in a better sounding dedicated portable solution then Ipods.

 

I had the same problem. I eventually worked out it was Nod32 virus killer! No sleep issues since uninstalling.

 

I had this issues with Avira Pro! Now i´ve installed NOD32 and no Problems so far. Let´s see if the problem occurs again with nod32.

 

i had issues with kaspersky, and have settled on nod32, it seems that nod32 is the best coded av (although detection rates are lower than avira, avira has false positives, nod32 never has any because their virus definitions are better)

 

I think my iphone 3g sounds better than the Z. This is on a pair of UE 11's.

It -is- subjective though *shrug*

Of course there are mp3 players which sound better than the iphone 3g - the cheapest one which springs to mind (because I have one) is the sansa clip. I'm just terrible - I can't be bothered to carry anything more than the iphone generally, so my UE 11's are, to a certain extent, "wasted"

Having said that, are you connecting the iPod to your stereo via the headphone port? The line out is alot better, and assuming you don't mind getting an external amp for volume control, the iPod line out is supposedly one of the best "portable" solutions. I would be surprised if the Z sounded better than the iPod line out?

Edit: One other point - if you're listening to your senn650s directly from the iPod headphone port - that's the problem. Those senns have a high enough resistance that the iPod headphone port probably sounds awful. They're probably also a little too soft (especially if you adjust the gain of your files such that they're all uniform - I usually use 89db, and with 89db mp3 files I'm sure the senn650 out of an ipod headphone port is too soft).

 

Yeah, we'll probably have to start a Facebook group - "The Decent Keyboards on VAIOs Movement" - or something

 

happy it worked for you, it is the best way to remove the Vaio partition.

 

Yep I too had that problem but it would only happen 1 out to 10 times, I dont use hibernate at all so I just disabled it. As for my standby issue I did some research and it could be the anti virus (I'm running avira free version) doing some scan during the standby process and that I should just leave it and it will eventually shutdown. I really dont want to remove my antivirus as its doing a great job.

 

ESET Nod32 has false positives too. It's more than two years since I reported to them that it falsely reports that that the latest 3Com Performance Pro modem driver package is infected -- they haven't done anything about it.
And it identifies the executable for the game "The Witcher" to be a virus. Both the DVD version and the Steam version.

That said, Nod 2.7 is still the best AV software on the market, IMO. Nod 3.0 is bloatware, and will slow down your system. Not as much as Symantec's product, but compared to Nod 2.7, it's horrible. Luckily, you can still download 2.7 from ESET, and get virus definition updates. That they still provide 2.7 and updates for it, more than a year after 3.0, indicates that they know about the problem, and that many users prefer to stick with the faster 2.7.

 

True about the Senns but I also did this with UE-10s and ER-4 with custom molds)) and more importantly with Stax Omegas and Soundlab A-1s. With these the difference is dramatic. Lossless files, Ipod, Sony portable CD player (one of the better ones) and the SZ laptop. The SZ and the CDP clearly trumped the Ipod, didn't matter which output. And one can hear the same with the Sennheisers on the road. The Z has more power in its output, that helps. It is also noticeably cleaner. Now I need to do this comparo properly with the Z. I have not tested the Iphone but I believe it is the same as the Touch.

I do feel these are true technological improvements and not subjective. Apple needs to get on the ball. Maybe Sony should put out an MP3 Player. Their flash recorders are top notch.

 

I think the Sony A818 is great.

 

Hi all,

i currently own a z11wn/b laptop and i want to upgrade the dvd drive to a blu ray drive. I would have bought the laptop with bluray built in but as far as im aware of, its not currently available with bluray in europe.

I have found this drive
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CD-032-OT&groupid=701&catid=10&subcat=952

Would it fit okay? what do people think? would it be possible to remove the fascia from my current drive and put it on the new one?

Thanks, Ryan

 

OK I've decided not to buy a Z just yet.
I discovered that I've been running my S2VP with the Vaio power management software set to 'adaptive' for CPU. Switching to 'Performance' makes a difference!
That and the realisation I can now upgrade the RAM to 2GB for about £160 (which is expensive, but much less than a new laptop!) means I can squeeze a few months more out of this old workhorse, which means I can save up for the SSD model

Hope you all enjoy your Zs.....

 

Can you please help us with a bench ? I am planing in buying a Vaio Z600 series with 256 G0 Raid 0 SSD and P9600 ! Have you done any test comparing SSD with HD speed ??? Thanks in advance

 

No, no formal test but it is fast! I installed Nikon NX2 Raw image processor software and it loads these big files in an instant. On any other computer this takes time and on my SZ it took 1 minute to load 1 image. They called that computer state of the art 2 years ago.

Suggestions on which prog to run for this test and I'll do it?

 

Still no z6xx CTO in the United States, eh?

 

Not yet. I don't understand the hold up. I ordered a CTO Z590 a couple days ago just incase the new one is more expensive and doesn't have any good deals. It's not expected to ship until 2/3 so I'm hoping the 6 series comes out soon so I can compare the 2 and either cancel my order or put my mind at ease that I made the right choice.

 

It's Jan 2009 and Z600 is still not available in the US!!

 

did you do proper ABX testing?

I didn't

Having said that, the psychological stack was fully in favour of the Z when i first compared them - the Z was shiny new.

I actually just tried again (still no ABX) and I still prefer the iPhone. In particular, the Z sounds like it has some kind of high-pass filter. The low end also seems to be somewhat compromised, although the difference is slight.

Perhaps it's a question of which program you were using on the Z (I'm using/used itunes) and also because I'm using just mp3s (320 CBR).

*shrug*

Eh. How can output not matter? You put an amp between them or not?

uhhh. I'm quite sure that they're both equally clean. I listen unamped, and I'm verrryyy sensitive to cleanness (erh. actually the headphones are. They've trained me! haha.)

Oh - and Sony makes lots of mp3 players. Some are quite pretty.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/sony-unveils-walkman-nwz-x1000-oled-touchscreen-player/

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/28/sony-intros-s-e-and-b-series-walkmans/

 

there selling the z610yb with 64bit at best buy for 1899.00. i want the drivers and utilities for that !

 

lol @ Sony's pricing that would be around $400

I hope they officially release them on SonyStyle soon

 

I think this is a setting in Vista's power management.

Go into Power Options, and click Change Plan Settings on the power plan ure using.
Click Advanced Settings.
Go to the bottom of the list and ull see "Multimedia settings".
Checks these settings to make sure they allow the computer to goto sleep.

Hope this helps.

 

o.k. that was quick. I placed my CTO order Friday night from SonyStyle. Heres a flow chart.

1/16 fri. order placed
1/17 sat. pending finance approval
1/18 sun. processing
1/19 mon. your vaio is being built
1/20 tues. shipped
1/21 wed. at my door (per fed ex tracking #)

Is it just me or was that pretty quick? I do live in So Cal so the proximity to San Diego helps with regard to shipping.

It's possible I may want to return it upon the release of the refresh. My question is if there is any benefit to keeping it in the box, un-opened, or does it not matter? I'm pretty anxious to check it out first hand.

 

Wow! I ordered CTO Z540 on the 5th Jan. It was supposed to ship on the 13th, but did not. After one very frustrating week of not knowing what happened to my order, Sony finally updated the est. ship date to 27th of Jan. My account page shows the order as "processing". The status has not changed since the day I ordered.

Its good to hear that their system worked for someone.

-
J

 

Yeah it's weird b/c the rep told me some parts were backordered and my expected ship date was Feb. 3rd. Maybe they had one laying around.

 

have a z540 CTO, anyone know how to turn off the bluetooth?
everytime I boot my computer or everytime my computer returns from standby the bluetooth warning icon appears in the lower righthand corner of my screen...

 

you can switch bluetooth off using vaio smart network.

 

where is vaio smart network?

 

The program is running by default.

If it's not running, it's probably at: C:\Program Files\Sony\Network Utility\lanutil.exe

In vista, you might also be able to just press vista and type lanutil.exe

 

I shut off BT using Vaio SmartWi utility.
But i still get a bubble pop-up from the sys tray everytime i come out of sleep. Same like mentioned above.
Annoying as heck.
Anyone else seeing this?

Thanks.

 

Im returning my Z back to Sony. Im not happy with the fingerprint sensor being tillted/crooked, as they pride themselves on superior quality...this Z isn't up to that standard.
I had a get out option here, but after a week of heavy use ive decided this Z configuration is perfect for me. I decided to go with a replacement and not a cancellation.

I will have to wait a couple of weeks, the worst thing I'm back on my SZ, atleast the fan will keep me warm lol

 

Sony just added 2 new lids, but not available in USA.

 

Just delete the Bluetooth shortcut from the "Startup" folder in the start menu.

 

Hmmm :-\ I would return mine, but I don't think I can unless it actually breaks. I'm not happy about the fingerprint sensor and the stuck pixel in the screen which I can't get rid of, but there's no way they're gonna do anything about just one pixel are they?

I am wondering if it might be possible to swap the screen for the 1366 x 768 or whatever it is version... I would actually prefer that screen for several reasons (better framerate in games, like my SZ, and hopefully wouldn't have that colour dithering issue either) but in the UK they only do that on the low end model with less graphics RAM and no fingerprint sensor etc.

 

I'm getting my new Z today and the first thing I'm going to do is a semi-clean install. Afterwards, I'll want to get some anti-virus software. It seems like alot of people are getting NOD32. Is it necessary to get the 2yr license? Does it stop working after a year or do you just stop getting updates?

 

If you purchased from sonystyle UK and it's within 14 days of receipt, you can return for a full refund. You have to pay the shipping, unless it's a return and replace like me...and has to be in original packaging.

I found the sony after sales to be very understanding and pretty good about it. If my second Z has cosmetic issues I'm completely cancelling and waiting for the ZZ or whatever is next

 

You stop getting updates, which for AV software makes it almost worthless, because 90% of the viruses and malware users are hit with are fairly new.
Anyhow, Nod32 isn't that expensive, especially not if you buy a bundle for all machines in the household.

 

Mine was from a UK Sony Centre, and I'm not entirely sure but it seems like they don't have to follow any kind of Sony policy for returns... even though the Sony Style website links you to them :-\

 

Well I just got my Z today and I anticipate I will have several questions over the next week or so. Please bare with me.

One of the first things I noticed is that sound seems awfully low. I was watching a BD movie with headphones on and had to turn the sound all the way up just to get it to a "normal" level. Is this typical?

 

No, it's not. Two things:

1: The volume control for Windows and the volume control for the DVD player most often are separate, and on top of each other. If one is set to 50%, then the other will play at 50% volume when full and 25% volume when half full.

2: If using headphones, make sure they are low impedance ones (16 Ohm or better). If you have a set of big headphones, chances are they need an amplifier to sound good. The rule of thumb is that if it comes with a big plug, it really needs an amp to sound good. (Grado is an exception -- all their big cans can be driven by pretty much any laptop or MP3 player, while their small "iPod" headphones beg for an amp).

 

bob, also check if your headphones have an independent volume control

 

i think i finally know why the z600 is not coming out yet..

the Z590 is now only offered in 2.26ghz and the premium carbon is no longer offered, meaning that they're trying to get rid of these models asap before the Z6xx comes out. i think this means that most people that order the laptop opt for the faster processor and the premium lid.

so, would anyone like to buy a bunch of Z590s right now so they will hurry up with the refresh? =]

 

I figured as much but I had a hell of a time finding the volume control for the WinDVD BD player. After reading your post I renewed by search and finally found it. I had to close the control panel for it to show up. It was at 75% so moving it up to 100% helped. Next I'll invest in some decent headphones. Thanx for the feedback.

 

I did my part. Now hurry up and come out w/ the refresh so I can return it.
BTW after a little bit of messing around I was able to do a semi-clean install and everything seems to be working fine.