Sony Vaio Z i5/i7 (VPCZ1) Official Owners Thread Part 2

No problem !

1) Download Nirdcmd from this place : NirCmd - Windows command line tool (End of page)

2)Extract the compressed folder and move "nirdcmd.exe" to the folder you want. I choose C:\Windows . But it's important not to move it once you have done the next steps.

3) Open the Vaio Control Center

4) Go to "Special Button" (Don't know the exact traduction in english), choose "Settings" (Idem). In the menu, choose "Launch App" and choose Nirdcmd.exe.
In Option, type "monitor off"
By the way, you can type in this option case all the command nirdcmd support. They are listed in the Nirdcmd webpage : NirCmd - Windows command line tool

And Ok !

That should work ! Tell me if you have a problem !

For people who have the 1920x1080 HD screen and are constantly switching between resolution 1920x1080 & 1600x900, you can create 2 shortcuts (and you can also give them keyboard shortcuts) in your desktop pointing nirdcmd with, for one "setdisplay 1600 900 32" and for the other "setdisplay 1920 1080 32". (32 is the for the colour. You can choose between 16 or 32 bits)
The path should looks like that "C:\Windows\Nirdcmd.exe setdisplay 1600 900 32" (If Nirdcmd.exe is in your Windows folder)

 

Thank you so much!! It worked! Now I can use my s1 button for something important. By the way, can you change the function of the VAIO button? For me, the function is for mute which isn't that important, I want to change the function for it.

Thanks again

 

Yes there is a way to do that ! I haven't tested it yet but here is the 2 posts talking about that, just few days ago !
Here : http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...l-owners-thread-part-2-a-208.html#post7319029

You're welcome !

(Maybe I should do a thread for this nirdcmd app.)

 

I think that's a good idea fir3bird. It'd be easier than having to search through this entire thread for it (It might also garnish more attention and help out more people)

 

Hi all,

Does anyone know of a firmware hack, or software patch that disables the region-code checking of the dvd drive? Does anyone know the model # of the standard dvd drive inside the Vaio Z? My model# is VPCZ-118GX, windows 7 pro, 64bit. in case that matters. I often play dvds from around the world and do not want to use up my 5 changes of the region code of the dvd drive every time I put in a foreign dvd. I tried using VLC player that apparently disregards the region code of the dvd, but there are a few foreign dvds that still won't play.

Thanks,
Will

 

Did you try using AnyDVD?

 

AnyDVD was the first thing I tried. It didn't work - it said the dvd drive may be RCP1 or RCP2 that requires a firmware hack. I know the dvd itself works fine because I have a region-free dvd player which plays the dvd no problem. I just want to watch the dvd from my Vaio Z laptop. When I try to use Windows Media PLayer, it says I have to change the region and it gives me 3 more tries only.
Will

 

Anyone knows if there is a way to shutdown the pc when the cover is closed?
Thanks

 

You can configure this in the VAIO control center, under power management, lid action settings.

 

Try DvdFab !

 

What I meant was the possibility of operating the On/Off button when the cover is ALREADY closed
I need it because I set the pc stays on when close the cover...

 

Oh, I am sorry that I misunderstood...

 

You have 3 possibilities when closing the lid :
- Nothing done
- Shut down the laptop
- Sleep

All can be set in the Control Center or in Power Options.
If you choose the first possibility, you set the button to shut down computer when push.

(Even if you don't understand french, maybe you'll understand the screenshot)

Imageshack - captureca.png

 

You could remove the magnet in the lid (the one that tells the laptop that the lid has closed).

 

The problem is that on my vaio, when the lit is closed, the button to shut down the computer don't work ...
it's only my pc or is a bug?

 

Is your vaio switching in sleep mode when closed (button turn orange) or stay green?

 

When I push the button (on lit open) my vaio go in sleep mode and the button turn orange, but when i close the lit i can put my vaio in sleep mode (and the button stay green) :-|

 

Go in the Power options--->"Choose action for the power button" in the left bar !

 

When the cover is closed, the power button is ignored.

 

I just want to play the dvd conveniently. dvdfab 6 only copies the dvd. I didn't want to rip it or copy it and then watch it.
Will

 

Exactly!!! So I wonder ... there is no way to get around this?

 

May I ask why it is so a problem?
What do you exactly want to do? Put the computer asleep then shut it down?

 

Sorry for the late reply... but surprisingly the intel RST software should tell you what you connected to each SATA port it's a Maa UJ892AS here on my Vaio Z a VPCZ1190X (Z11 CTO in the USA). Make sure you eject the drive or else the drive wont be on and it'll say it's an empty port because the Z turns off the DVD drive when you arent using it.

 

would you guys strongly recommend a Vaio Z Core-I5 + 256GB SSD to someone in the market for a computer? im helping my friend search and he's pretty set on the Z which looks like a great computer for being portable yet powerful.

Is battery life 5 hours plus under normal use on the go? (Some videos, office, web browsing at a decent screen brightness)
Is it built solid?
Get 2 year warranty?

Would you consider Samsung Series 9 over it or Vaio S?

 

Well, there was my earlier suggestion of removing the magnet in the lid that tells the laptop the lid is closed...

 

@Fir3bird: since i set the PC to stay ON when i close the lit, I want the ability to shut down from the button;
@Oscar2: i don't want to modify my Vaio's hardware...

 

I advise you to read the last 5 pages of this thread. We were already talking about battery !

 

Another bug (for me) is that, when i unplug my PC from the mains (with lit closed) it remains ON...
No way to solve that? A software, a trick...

 

Here's a trick: if you remove the battery, you unplug, the laptop shuts off (automatically).

 

Oscar2 you want to be nice, but for me is an important bug!!!
my old acer, from this point of view, worked better...
No one but me is interested in resolving this problem?

 

Hi guys.

This question might have been answered already but not in the last 20 pages.

Is it possible to connect 2 external monitors to my computer (vpcz139gg) and run them simultaneously?

hdmi+vga didn´t seem to work. Is there a sleek solution?

Patrik

 

Quick question, I've been seeing all these ssd boot up on youtube in 11 seconds and etc. Was wondering has anyone had a chance to get that type of boot speed out of the z? I Currently own a Vaio z1390x.

 

Re: Windows Update
24 updates this week. 23 important and 1 optional.... it's like what's up that we suddenly have 23 or 24 of them ha ha

 

My average on the 6-cell is about 3,5 hours of battery life. That's with VMWare, wifi, brightness ~40%, intel GPU and some light work.

The 9-cell however gives you a bit more. About 5,5hours on average (with some video, music etc.) and about 7 hours with light work.

Got my Z about 8 months now and it still works great. Take it to school, to friends or just in the docking station at home. Always on the move with this baby . Except for the ''palmrest fade issue'' there no problems at all with the build quality.

Vaio Z gets a standard 2 years (at least in europe, don't know US) because it's one of the business models.

And last but not least. I heard the Z was better build than the new Vaio S(B)

 

It seems that yes, you're the only one who have interrest in that stuff.

I don't even no what the problem really is. You just have to open your screen for 2 seconds if you really want to shut off the laptop...

Why do you really want to put your vaio asleep just to shut down it ?

 

Matrox DualHead2Go/TripleHead2Go or a ViDock or perhaps a DIY ViDock.

The DualHead2Go is cheapest and easiest, but only works on VGA. TripleHead2Go and ViDock are $300 or more. DIY Dock can be done pretty cheap, but it is not sleek.

 

Guess TripleHead2Go uses VGA or DVI is there something that uses HDMI? ViDock is an interesting option. My monitors have different maximum resolutions. 1920x1200 and 1920x1080. With a ViDock can I use different resolutions for each monitor doesnt seemt to be the case with TH2GO? Does it depend on what graphics card i chose? Which graphics card is compatible with the one in my computer? 330M?

 

Maybe I did not explained well!
I configured my vaio so that when i close the lit the pc don't turn off/sleep... it remain ON (when plugged)... i do that because i can leave my computer on without the other one see on my screen (when i'm downloading something for example)...
Now... i want the possibility to turn sleep my PC without open the lit...
and i want that for another reason:
i use a wireless mouse that with a simple movement turn me on my PC, so, when i close the lit after put sleep (before put my pc in the bag for example)
happen that the mouse turn ON again my PC and i have to reopen the lit to put it sleep...
I hope I was clearer... sorry for my english!

 

Most other vendors put switch in the area above keyboard, so it's not even accessible when the lid is closed. What Acer model are you talking about that has power switch outside? I owned a few Acer's, none had this. So, indeed, don't see any issue here. Not a bug.

Edit: Let me correct myself. I know that there are laptops on the market that support booting to some simple version of Linux to serve like a media machine. This does warrant powering it up/down with lid closed provided the media control buttons are also accessible outside. This becomes a glorified music player and should not be considered for this discussion.

 

I skipped the last update of 15 things a few days ago because after I installed it, it made my fan run more than usual at idle. I just restored to an earlier version of windows, to right before the update.

 

I mentioned my acer not for the power button, but for another "problem" that i observed: when the lit is closed and i unplug the pc, it remain ON...
on my acer when i unplug it turn asleep ...

 

If you mainly use it plugged in then try it this way: In power settings, set the time to sleep when on battery to a very low number (like 1 min). That way when you unplug it it will shortly go to sleep.

 

Thanks for the idea but i use the PC in both mode...
However, given that there is no solution, I would say to close the matter here :-(

 

I begin to better understand your worries!

I have no solution for your problem. BUT! Have you read what I purpose about NirCmd. It's a software that allows you to shut your screen by keyboard shortcut or a click.
If you're interested, please read this (until I create an unique topic about this.) : http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...l-owners-thread-part-2-a-215.html#post7354047
and this (if you want to set the S1 Vaio button to shut your screen off)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...l-owners-thread-part-2-a-216.html#post7354257

For your wireless mouse, you can prevent the device to awake your computer out of standby by going in your Device Manager, right click on your mouse, tab "Power Managment" and uncheck "Allow this device to wake the computer from sleep"
(Or something equivalent )

 

Any of the DisplayLink-based USB video adapters, such as the Diamond BVU-195, will give you USB->DVI which you can connect to DVI or HDMI. The Diamond BVU-1000 has direct HDMI output. These work well but do not have the same performance as a bus-based video card.

 

Upek realese a new built of his Protector Suite (Software which manages the Fingerprint reader.)


It offers, among others thing, the support of the PasswordBank for Firefox 4 and an exquisite (just love this word in english ) new fonctionnality to use the fingerprint as a mouse wheel.


The latter is well responsive but I would prefer the Two Finger Scroll application, especially in the built of MacHater (that could be find here :
TwoFingerScroll v1.0.7 update! (two finger scrolling done right! + more)
And purpose a much smoother and pleasant vertical and horizontal scroll
It worth the try ! !


Anyway, here is the link to download this last built of Protector Suite :
Welcome To UPEK - Support - Customer Support - Protector Suite 2011

 

Hello guys!
Last night my VPCZ128GG just experienced the cursor to hang while doing multitasking work: using the internet in multiple tabs, and about 6 other applications are running on the desktop....
No matter how I manipulate the touch pad it won't move( including right and left click options). I attached a USB optical mouse and it won't even show its running as there was no light displayed on the bottom of that mouse..
As I ran out of option how to sort it out, I pressed the start button for 5 seconds and that's it.. and when the notebook started again everything runs normal again...
What could be the reason for this peculiarity? Did somebody experrience it also with their VAIO Z?

 

Will I need to register when installing this file? Or does it automatically recognize that I own the previous full version?

 

When the bug occurred and during the event , did the fan start to run at full speed?

If so, I had the experience of a similar bug, but caused by a particular application, so I thought it must be due to the application ...
If I may, what was the 6 applications?

If you have the previous version delivered by Sony installed, you won't have any problem !

However, the site asks for a name and email to get downloads.

 

No the fan was silent; the other applications are adobe acrobat, Outlook, yahoo messenger, office applications, download manager, windows media player...