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

@guho: can you please clarify : if one had a vpc-z13 with originally installed 3G wwan does that mean the unit has a Gobi 2x2 antenna and does it mean, further, that in order to have 4G LTE capability you need both the Sierra Wireless 3x3 antenna to swap out for the Gobi but also need the MC7355 you describe above?

May I troublr you to provide an explanation as to how to achieve the 3G to 4G upgrade in step-by-step fashion for someone who has never worked with WWAN antennae and the like - essentially, a guide for "Dummies," to be overly kind to myself?

 

I have the stock antennae. They appear to have good reception for lte. The mc7355 has 2 antenna connectors used for data not 3. The 3rd is for gps but gps can also be configured to use the 2nd data antenna. So no need to do anything to your stock antennae.

 

Thanks guho. Sorry for my ignorance, but could you possibly explain as if you were talking to a moron (!) exactly what I need to do with my VPC-Z13 with 3GWWAN (US version) to enable it to receive 4GLTE? Specifically what part(s) do I need to get, where do I need to replace things inside the computer and what, if any, arrangements do I need to make with AT&T (my carrier) to enable this laptop to have 4GLTE capability rather than the 3G it presently has.

Many thanks for taking the trouble to educate a nimrod such as myself. It happens that WWAN components have always mystified me, even more than most things do!

 

1. Download copy of vpcz1 service manual. 2. Order mc7355. 3. Backup computer. 4. Uninstall gobi2000 drivers and software. 5. Replace gobi 2000 by mc7355. Use the outer 2 antenna connectors and leave the middle one unused. 6. Install mc7355 drivers from sierra wireless developer site. Install sierra aircard watcher. I use 3974 from Panasonic wireless carrier page since newer ones did not allow me to change gps to msbased. In options activate at&t firmware. Then connect to att 4g lte. This is enough to get you going and i can supply further instructions for getting fast gps fix once you get there.

 

Thanks! I found the EU version at techship.se

 

The EU versions are mc7305 (no voice) or mc7304 (with voice) right?

 

I can't thank you enough - that was just the kind of "hand-holding" I was hoping for! I'll get the part (do you have a suggested vendor?) and follow your directions and, hopefully, report in my success, and then gratefully receive your additional help getting fast gps. Btw, I am just blown away by the fact that this can be done. I'm lucky enough to have a rarely used fairly high spec VPC-Z13 (sig) and after owning some of the best Ultrabooks on the market today, I have come to realize that the 4 year old Z1 (with i7-640M and nVidia 330M) is as powerful as the Haswell U series cpus/Hd4400 IGP, just about as light weight, far more ports, unlimited SSD expansion via DVD drive slot, superb screen, even if 900p and TN (color gamut is superb and the 900p is about 100 nit brighter than the FHD from the Z1, over 300 nit with registry hack member Beaups contributed years ago (works only on the 900p screen; let me know if you have that screen and don't know about the hack, it makes the screen insanely bright), that this setup, the icing on the cake being the LTE capability, is better than anything I could attain with the best of the 13" Ultrabooks made today. The only significant downside is battery life, but I own 3 batteries, one stock and two high capacity, so at the expense of carrying 1.5lbs of batteries in my case, I can get 8-10 hrs away from the outlet.

Thanks again for making me aware of this great "upgrade" and for walking me through the steps.

Best,
Jeff Bellin

 

Ebay seller: py3388lhs is where i got mine and he still has an mc7355 listing today. Do not buy an mc7700. They are much cheaper and support at&t 4g lte, but use older tech, run hot and break in months. I went through 3 of them before installing mc7355s in both my vpcz1 and svz13. When opening the vpcz1, make absolutely sure not to stress the keyboard flat cable!!

I agree with you on the 900p black levels & contrast, but the resolution made my vpcz1 feel dated. Now, with the 1080p upgrade and windows 8.1/startisback/aeroglass8, it feels hip again.

 

hi guys ive got a vpcz11 with bios R3031C3, can I complete the bios hack with this firmware version or do I have to flash backwards to a older version?

 

I can confirm the hack works on this bios version as i did it recently.

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Hello all,
My Vaio Z with 256GB ssd inside (4x64GB Samsung) is showing a failure of one 64GB disk.
I already have installed a HDD in drive place. If i install there a standard ssd - can i configure the Sony laptop in bios so that it starts from that additional disk? To avoid to replace defect Sony ssds with expensive small m-Sata disks.
And to remove the 256GB Samsung ssds completely? As i have safed all my system data... that would be easy way to install new on additional disk.

 

You still have 3 working 64gb ssds so set up a 192gb raid array on them. You want your os and apps on ssd fast storage not hard drive. In fact this was my original z1 config before i upgraded to 512gb.

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Okay, sounds logical - Thank you!! I have system backup - at present WIN7 do not start with a new one. How can i get "rid" of this specific ssd? In bios i do not see an option. Making new clean install with my backup will provide me the option to choose right 3 intact mini-ssds?

 

There is a separate shortcut at boot to enter the raid BIOS, CTRL-I. Then set up the new array and restore the backup. Have you considered it might just be a connection problem? Perhaps reseating the ssd connectors will reenable the 4th ssd. I am curious whether you will 3 or 4 drives in the raid bios.

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So now i get no error message as before - running the win on board test. And i do not find an option here to change from 4 to 3 SSDs. I assume that is possible if i make fresh WIN instal again - choosingrepair from full backup does not give me that option in menu. So my laptop is kidding me + working again - only let the lowest repair option worked from WIN dvd... Before problems to start... New backup is still not possible, nothing starts - maybe 2nd problem. Okay have an older one working.

So as i understand - if i start complete fresh instal - i can choose only 3 of 4 SSDs. So that is my safety policy if one fails now.

Have to wait for error again...

 

So your system is listing all drives now. One of them could still be bad. If you switch to AHCI I think you could run a utility to check SMART status on each drive to find any failed one. If none really failed just switch back to RAID and restore your backup. Then open the computer to reseat the connections. If one failed set up a raid array with 3 drives and restore backup.

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yes also CrystalDiskInfo lists all 4 drives and marks then "good". Regarding their age maybe good result. Since i repaired with Win dvd, system starts normal and show no error message at begin. As i still can not use Win backup - does not start - i will try to install last backup at weekend + hope to safe it then completey at latest status.

The error message for disk 3 appeared before Win started. I am not sure if that was tested by Laptop Bios or by Windows tools. Maybe had problems with Win system files...

 

So I was able to enter the menu for Raid disks - with STRG-I. As I am watching now he error mnessages regarding disk 3 of the 4 mini ssds more frequently.

So I would have now to delete the current Raid Volume. After i can create a new Raid with 3 Samsung ssd's only - to left out the one disk in Port 3? After doing it I can make standard WIN7 backup repair with my latest full backup?

(PS:

If I attach in Poert o a 1TB SSD - can i install WIN7 there and automatically starting my laptop from this disk. If I choose in Bios external and dvd (I assume that is port 0) at first place? Problem is i have a virtual OSC running too and need more space.)

Thanks, Walter

 

@ guho can you help me? I bought new wwan modem sierra mc7304 and I would like to do upgrade my vaio vpcz. I had modem 3g gobi2000 and it very good worked but now I change my wwan on 4g. This wwan mc7304 doesn`t work. My operating system (windows 7 64bit) doesn`t see it. I changed my bios on advanced menu bios.
I don`t speak English very wel.

 

so you have to uninstall the gobi 2000 drivers. install mc7304 drivers from source.sierrawireless.com. Also in vaio smart switch enable wwan so it becomes visible in the device manager.

 

Thank you for your answer. It`s all OK. I had no battery inserted in my laptop. The MC7304 works very well.

 

Just upgraded wifi on my z11 i5 to a broadcom 94360 ac card. Azurewave AW-CB160H Broadcom BCM94360HMB 1300Mbps. Super nice upgrade from the Intel 6300n! I already had a 3rd antenna. That is why I chose this wlan card. The antenna connectors are different mhf4 vs. u.fl, but my card came with 3 adapter cables.

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Ryan or any other Z1 owner,

Have any of you been able to convert that internal mPCI-e slot to a USB port? If so, can you point me the right direction for drivers or procedures?

I have acquired and installed the daughter cards that get me the mini PCI-e slot and respective mini PCI-e to USB card. On bootup, the Z1 tells me that there has been a hardware change, however, after booting to Win7 Pro, it does not prompt me for any driver installation or otherwise.



Additionally, everything in device manager is working fine (no exclamation marks).

My intention is to move my Logitech trackball dongle internal to the Z1 to free up my external USB port.

Thanks
Lang

 

I use a Express Card 34mm to get USB 3.0 search for my older posts.

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