Vaio FZ Owners Official Owners Thread

I called they wouldnt deal.

I dont believe the FZ-190 is available.

I really did feel I did not need the blue ray. I do have a sony handy cam that I use to film my sons football and baseball games. It is a hard drive and I burn discs.

 

No, that score is actually pretty good tbh for the an 8400GT. Its about par with the current 8600GS's - and thats made me think actually. Is it worth paying an extra £100 for a t7500 and 8600GS over a t7250 and 8400GT? Then again, the 8600GS may not be an underclocked version and therefore perform its potential.

Bare in mind, if you installed drivers from LaptopVideo2Go website, then you're score should jump siginificantly - maybe to ~2700 which is remarably good of an 8400GT.

 

I believe on Easy Transfer you need that installed on both computers to work.

Ken

 

For the AV mode it doesn't matter if you have blu-ray or not; it wont work either way. It simply starts up Vista on every FZ that has a 8400GT or 8600GS.

 

I went and looked at the SZ at Best Buy they didnt have FZ not sure I am impressed with the SZ. I think I may keep looking..

 

You are correct. But when you transfer from the inisital machine it asks if you want to include a copy of the application for installation on the second machine. But in this case that would be unnecessary since the second machine is a clean install of Vista on the same machine.

Gary

 

I think the reason for purchasing an FZ21S is neither the T7500 nor the 8600GS, but the double lamp screen. I 've seen it on a FZ11S and compared to the FZ11M next to it, it was remarkably better. Actually considering that FZ21M has a great screen, then FZ21S possibly has one of the brightest screens out there. So, if you spare £100 it's gonna be for its screen and nothing else.
Now if I could just make this HDMI work and improve performance over 1080p video it would be just awesome. Does anybody know any benchmarks that can test this thing? Or a theory why cpu usage is only 50% in this occasion?
How can I improve it?

 

Ah right, thanks for that.
I most definetly will stick with my original choice now, which is the FZ21s. It is pushing my budget a bit considering my Toshiba was £850 however I'm willing to pay extra for a quality machine.

Thanks!!

Btw, did you install the driver's from laptopvideo2go website?

 

Thanks, Gary

I didn't know it prompted you to install Easy Transfer prior to transferring the files.

Ken

 

Hey guys.

A friend of mine has an FZ140e and it's fairly new. One day he noticed that several buttons just stopped working (R,U,4, and some more). Could this be a simple driver issue? If not, are there any guides on how to remove the old keyboard and replace it with a new one?

Thanks!!

 

Well this is the system I went with over Dell xps m1330 So I will post when I get it.

 

I am a bit surprised the is a minimal talk of the fz 290? Does the 290 still have the same problems like the AV mode button and wrieless etc?

 

What wireless problem? The AV button only works on Intel Graphics and Non blueray DVD drives. That has not changed, I don't think.

Gary

 

Sorry to ask this question again but it is really bugging me... Does anyone know how to get rid of that high-pitched beep when you change volume using the media button at the top of the keyboard?

 

as i said in a previous post, im having trouble using the laptop for gaming. i play final fantasy xi , an old old game, and my fz180e meets the requirements by far...heck even my old inspiron who had much worse specs played final fantasy xi beautifully.

but it is almost impossible to play in this computer. the frame rate drops to 3 and 4 and most of the time is at around 10. i have read around and many other people with this laptop and/or the nvidia 8400 card have the same problem and haven't been able to fix it, not even with the drivers from laptopvideo2go. at this point im giving up because one of the things i use my laptop for the most is playing this game...and i was sure that it had to play it beautifully..

as it is now im stuck with this Fz180 that should , by all means be capable of handling this stuff but in reality doesnt allow me to do so.

i shouldve gone dell.

 

tiduspr - I think it is the 8400M that is the problem or the memory on it that may be too slow too. I have tried playing some games that my HP 9225us could play and my FZ180E plays about the same or slower, I am not too worried as I got this mainly for playing BD movies and using the BD recorder to backup files on blue ray discs. For gaming I use my Toshiba X205-9349 which can play any game I have thrown at it so far especially after upgrading the cpu to the T7700.

 

tiduspr there are threads about nvidia 8000 series and the dual core incompatibilities with FFXI.
http://www.ffxionline.com/forums/ga...ajor-issues-vista-nvidia-8000-series-gpu.html
http://www.ffxionline.com/forums/computers/58981-new-intel-core-2-will-they-help-ffxi.html
Hope that helps.

 

No, I still haven't tried it. I don't really need the extra 200-300 3dmarks but I 'll definitely try it one of these days...
Concerning my 1080p problem the solution is this (if anyone faces the same):
It seems there is an issue with dual-core usage and .mp4, .mkv containers and generally videos encoded in h264 or x264. The workaround is to install
ffshow audio decoder and Haali splitter both contained in K Lite Codec Pack. Also you need to purchase and install CoreAVC, which actually used to be free, so you can search for an older version. With these, 1080p in the formats mentioned above will run smoothly even on pretty old computers (e.g. Athlon64 3500+).

 

As far as i know it can't be turned off. I don't mind the beep myself (i even find it handy at some times), but i did accidentally find a way to work around it; i recently bought a Logitech VX Revolution mouse, and re assigned the zoom button as volume up/down. When i use the new volume buttons on my mouse another on screen display appears then normally (nothing flashy, it looks kinda 80's to be honest)......and it doesn't make the beeping noise when you change the volume this way. The volume buttons on the notebook itself still work the same though. It's not really the solution you were looking for, but maybe it's an option for you. I expect this is possible with all Logitech mouses that use the Setpoint program and have a few buttons to spare(although that VX Revolution is a mighty fine mouse ).

 

If it's fairly new (it should be 'cause these notebook haven't been out there that long) your friend should just contact Sony to have the keyboard replaced/fixed under warranty. But are you sure there is a defect? I thought my 't' button died on me a few weeks ago, but it turned out to be a piece of cloth that got stuck under the button.... How does it feel when you press the not responding keys, do they feel lighter to press then others or heavier maybe? If it is the later you could try to easily raise the button with your fingernail or something to see if there's anything underneath you could just clean up.

 

It can't be turned off, but the WAV file it plays can be modified or renamed (I forget which). There is a thread about this elsewhere.

Gary

 

rename or delete c:\Program Files\Sony\VAIO Event Service\pi.wav

 

thanks a lot guys you're a huge help

 

Thanks for the response! It might still be under warranty, I will check that out. Yeah I have popped the non-working keys off to see if anything is hindering them from making a connection, but they are all clean. I guess he is just one of the unlucky ones with a defective keyboard.

 

I'd like to upgrade my ram from a total of 2 gb which I ordered with my computer to either 3 or 4 gb. Am I better off just replacing one of the 1 gb modules with a new 2gb module or do I have to buy two new 2gb modules? Also what would be the best RAM to buy?
Thanks Dave



_______________________________________________________________
MY COMPUTER
VGN-FZ190CTO with Blu-ray, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT, 15.4" WXGA (HC) W/CMR, 160GB HD, 2GB DDR-SDRAM, Core 2 duo T7700 / 2.4 GHz,

 

If you're using a 32 bit version Windows (Vista or XP), which you probably are, then your notebook won't be able to see the full 4 GB. You are better off getting a 2 GB stick to replace one of the 1 GB sticks in your FZ. The brand that you buy isn't all that important, but you should buy the same speed that is currently in your notebook if you aren't getting 2 x 2 GB.

 

I have Vista home premium preloaded from Sony which is 32 bit I believe. If I buy one 2 GB stick to replace one of the 1 GB sticks how do I know what speed is currently in my laptop?


_______________________________________________________________
MY COMPUTER
VGN-FZ190CTO with Blu-ray, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT, 15.4" WXGA (HC) W/CMR, 160GB HD, 2GB DDR-SDRAM, Core 2 duo T7700 / 2.4 GHz,

 

Memory speed you mean? Thats at 667Mhz.

 

Was the question ever definitively answered about "dual channel" when running a 1 gig stick and a 2 gig stick at the same time?

Gary

 

hi

i am not sure if this issue was ever addressed previously, but here goes.

recently, my wireless has been malfunctioning. Whenever I attempt to find other networks, loading takes forever and most of the time, it freezes and I am forced to go to the task manager to end its task. Other times, when it does successfully load the page, it can never find any networks. Is this a problem with the vaio laptop, or is this a problem that relates to Windows Vista?

Thanks.

BTW: I am using a Vaio FZ 140E, T7100, 2GB

 

I have had my fz250e for a few days now, and thought I should post a small review.

The first time I started it, it took a long time to boot, but that is also the only time this computer has taken a long time to do anything. It is quick for all the things I use it for (excel, word, explorer, dvd), and I have no problems having many windows open at the same time. Right now I have 61 open processes, but I wish I could reduce that number. But I dont feel competent to run a clean or ssemi clean install.

The computer is silent, so it won't bother anyone if you use it during class like I am planning to.

I also love the keyboard, and it is probably the best keyboard I have ever typed on.

The negative thing is that I do not like the speakers. Sony should manage to put some better speakers in a computer that they advertise as a multimedia computer.

But all in all it is a great computer for my needs at a reasonable price.

 

My first impression is that you have a firewall issue or are very far away from the access point/router. Is this a public network you are trying to connect to or is it your own? Did you use this network with your FZ before without problems?

 

It's not an inherent problem with either one of them. Are there any errors in the system or applications log? When the page DOES load are you able to connect? Is this just an issue with getting the page to display? What, if any, services have you turned off, or tweaks you have applied? Any third part network related software installed or uninstalled, firewalls, internet security apps etc.?

Bottom line we don't have enough info to even begin to help you figure this out.

Gary

 

Check this thread: Improved sound for FZ speakers

Gary

 

But would either of those cause the page to be so slow or freeze? This one is a bit odd.

Gary

 

What do you mean by that Gary? Should I buy a 2GB DDR-SDRAM 667Mhz RAM to be compatible with what I have in my computer? Should I get 2x2gb or 1gb + 2gb? I am running Vista home premium.
Thanks
Dave


_______________________________________________________________
MY COMPUTER
VGN-FZ190CTO with Blu-ray, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT, 15.4" WXGA (HC) W/CMR, 160GB HD, 2GB DDR-SDRAM, Core 2 duo T7700 / 2.4 GHz,

 

I have seen the question asked but never answered as to whether or not having one stick being 1 gig and another being 2 gig, would disable what is referred to as "dual channel" memory access. If it DOES disable that, it could mean a degradation in memory access speed.

I do NOT know the answer. I do know that before I did use two different sizes I would want a definitive answer to that question. Try the Tom's Hardware website they might be able to answer that. Or maybe one of the other threads here.

Gary

P.S. Eureka! I just found a GREAT link on this site! Check this out: Dual Channel RAM

 

Thanks for the tip Gary! It improved the sound a bit, but I am still not impressed by the sound. I think it lacks bass. But there are so many other things to be impressed by this computer, so it is not a very big deal.

Can anyone recommend a good anti-virus program to go with vista? Also, does vista have its own firewall?

I have little knowledge about tweaking windows for efficiency. Can a program like regcure help me with that? Or is it anything else I can do to make my computer more efficient. Right now I have 54% RAM free (out of 2gb). Is this normal when running firefox alone?

 

This question has probably been up before..
Why does Sony insist on putting 4200rpm hard drives in like high end laptops such as VGN-FZ21 series (even the top model Z !!)?
Istant that stuped or what?
Like here in Sweden we can´t "build" them like we want to. We have to go with the standard ones! It sucks!

 

I'm hoping that the FZ21s comes with a 5400rpm HD. On Sony's website it says that the HD is 5400rpm however some shops online have put that the HD is 4200rpm!!

Imo, the 'Z' ain't worth going for anyway. All you're really paying extra for is the Blu ray drive that writes as well as reads. It may work out cheaper in other european countries but in the UK the 'Z' is £200 more than the 'S' - ain't worth it.

 

Well, here's the thing. I recently tried to connect to the internet wirelessly. When the page finally loads (after about five minutes of waiting) it does list out several servers that I can connect to. When I tried to connect to a school server, the connection failed. Placing the mouse cursor on the network icon puts up a window that says server execution failed. This is the window that pops up even when i have an ethernet cord attached to the laptop, and when I am not using wireless.

As for tweaks, so far, all I have done was disable the UAC, which was about a month ago and long before the problem occurred.

For firewall software, I am using Trend Micro Internet Security 2007. Again, this was installed before the problem occurred.

Considering that this problem has nothing to do with my vaio laptop, at least I'm relieved that nothing is wrong with it on the outside.

 

Yeah, i agree it's very odd, but it can. I use a D-link router sometimes witch seems to cause almost the same problem especially when i'm a bit further away from it. Different kind of webpages or files just stop downloading halfway, and you're stuck with a funny screen or half a file with or without getting disconnected. When i turn of the routers firewall (even though the settings are correct and the needed ports are forwarded) or move closer to the router the problem still occurs, but not as often as with the firewall turned on or when i'm further away. I'd say around 60 to 70% less. Me and a buddy of mine (who owns the router and is the network manager at his office) have spend hours re-installing and re-checking settings trying to figure out what could be causing this just out of curiosity, but we still have no idea what's it is, and i have this problem with no other router. I figured it must be a compatibility problem between the notebook's network card and that D-link router or that it's interference from another wireless signal in the neighborhood, since we've ruled out everything else. The only difference seems to be that my computer or browser doesn't stall unless i'm watching streaming video through a webbrowser (You-Tube for instance, i recently discovered that when i use Joost tv this problem doesn't occur), that does the trick every time. I actually reported that problem before on this thread, but back then i was still under the impression You Tube was causing the problem. The funny thing is when i connect to the same router trough an ethernet-cable there's no problem at all, with or without the firewall on.

 

I didn't mean the firewall settings of your computer, but of the router/wireless network you're trying to use. If it isn't yours or managed by you you should check with the manager/distributor of that particular network witch settings you have to use.

 

54% is a bit high if Firefox is the only thing running, but it depends on how long Firefox is running and how many tabs you have open etc. Mine is usually using around 31 to 33% of my 2Gb with Firefox and the Windows Sidebar on and a few other things in the background. I'm not a big fan of using programs to clean or tweak your OS, i'd suggest using this thread by Flamingo instead to fine tune Vista to your needs manually:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=166532


I use AVG myself, it's free and light and works fine with Vista. You can find it here:


http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0

 

I have no idea what FZ version you have exactly, but who told you to get an FZ as a gaming rig anyway? If you want a notebook to use mainly for gaming you sould have gotten something with a 8600GT atleast, like the Dell 1500 or 1520 for instance. ********...........

 

It may depend on whether his 8400GT has 128mb of 256mb of dedicated memory. On NBR's graphics card guide, it states the 8400GT as a performance card probably the 256mb version though. If your card does have 256 dedicated memory then it should be able to handle all present games, all be it, with low-medium settings on FPS's etc.

 

Does anyone know a sleeve which fits the sony FZ, thanks.

 

True, the 8400GT isn't a bad card, especially with 256Mb of GDDR3. I can play a bit older games like GTA SA, Quake4 or GTR2 on very high settings, even with my 128Mb version. But the FZ was never meant to be a gaming notebook, more like a strong allround mutlimedia machine. So stating he bought the machine mainly for gaming and then complaining it can't do the task just sounds a bit dumb to me, thats all i'm saying.

 

Well, just as an update, it seems that now I can use the wireless settings on my vaio now. I tried to use it again, and after waiting for a couple minutes, the wireless icon posted a window stating that I could not connect to the network. However, after opening up firefox, somehow i was able to get online. I don't know what happened, but its seems ok for the time being.

thanks for all your help on this issue, you guys.

 

I have a FZ11E (Core2Duo [email protected]) with 2x1Gb memory. I was wondering what the general consensus is about the best amount of RAM. Would it be worth going towards 3Gb of internal mem ? Possibly 2x2Gb, but I have 32bit version of windows, so 3Gb is the maximum it can work with. Appreciate any thoughts on this.