How to Enable Intel VT and AHCI on a Napa/Santa Rosa platform Phoenix BIOS Vaio laptop

You're correct! It is NOT the pipe character.
I was unsure upon reading the first post in this thread.
You're advice is also warranted about the BIOS version.
It happens that the model #'s closest to mine represented in the table you have compiled e.g. FZ230E, FZ280E and FZ290E all used the same BIOS version as mine, hence my decision to target the same register as my best opportunity for enabling VT.
I am happy to report, It did work!
I can therefore definitively say that the FZ260E with BIOS ver. R1120J7 uses reg 02CD set to [0001] as the trigger to enable VT.

I hope that you will reward my efforts by including the FZ260E in your master list of VAIO's with successful modifications.

Carlos

 

Consider it done! Added to the list.

Gary

 

Hey, Don't suppose anyone could help me out with the VGN-N11H?
Bios R0030J4.
I'd like to enable AHCI.
Many thanks to anyone who might know which bits I need to set, or indeed could assist me in finding out for myself.
Matt Sharpe

 

I am hoping to attempt this today as I am trying to make my FZ280e/b into a triple boot system of win7/ubuntu/osX. I wasn't able to find any info on backing up the bios prior to attempting this? I always love to have a backup, hehe. Anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in adavance

 

Hello everybody,

does anybody know the right register to enable AHCI on my CR29XN/b?

BIOS: R1121Q0

In the "master list" there is only the register for vt stated but not for AHCI. Is there an other list? Or is this register unknown so far?

greets
Meise

 

Hi all,
try the hack with my VAIO FE21M with upgraded CPU T2300 to T7200 and latest bios release for FE41 series the R0200J3:

Dump CMOS bios in a *.txt file with SymCMOS, and after I mod this strings:

(00F6) - to [0000] at [0001] for AHCI... OK




and
(0195) - to [0000] at [0001] for VT tech...





Note: to enable VT tech you must turn-off the VAIO, restart and enjoy!



Thanks to all for information collected

 

Could you provide a translation of the first two screens for those of us who don't read Italian?

Thanks,
Gary

 

Hi, that's no too much to translate..
The first box says: A Reboot is necessary to apply the modifications. Before rebooting the computer, save all opened files and close all programs.

The second one: Title: The device is ready for the utilization.
Then, near the "V" for three times means: "Operation complete. Reboot the computer.

 

Thanks
Grazie

Bye
Ciao

 

VT activated on TZ by instruction, but with some modifications.

Thanks.

 

Hi, maybe it would be useful to know what are these modifications.

 

Care to share the details? Bios Version, specific model number, address of bytes changed and what were the "modifications"? The whole point of this forum and this thread is a TWO WAY exchange of information.

Gary

 

@Bogart

Hi,

Could you pls check the attached file with strings for sony vaio cr320e
I see that a few people on this forum can not find the register to enable ahci.

Maybe the problem is that HDD is on ide controller and we simply need to enable sata port not only ahci?

Thank you in advance,
Alex

 

Nope.

Follow this MS guide: Error message when you start a Windows 7 or Windows Vista-based computer after you change the SATA mode of the boot drive: "STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE"
Then you need to enable AHCI in the BIOS and you'd be set.

You are right that the option isn't visible, hence the guide at the start of the thread.

 

I have a Vaio FZ290 and I can confirm that my bios version is R1120J7 and the Register is 02CD.

I am posting this because I had to use symcmos AGAIN after recently discovering that Intel VT had turned itself off. I first successfully did all of this a little over a year ago. I tried to install a 64-bit os in VMware and it told me that VT was not enabled. I was confused and I ran Securable and sure enough VT was off.

Has anybody else had to repeat these steps again?

 

Maybe your CMOS battery died? Or was disconnected during a clean etc.?

 

It was never disconnected, but yeah the CMOS batt probably died.

 

You would know if the CMOS battery dies, because the system clock would no longer run when the machine was turned off.

There is no way for "Intel VT had turned itself off". Something had to have done this. It can't just magically turn off. This all seems a bit odd. Had the machine been repaired since you turned VT on? I ask this because I had a motherboard replacement because of the NVIDIA chip failure, and of course I had to re do the VT patch after that occurred.

Gary

 

I never had my laptop repaired. It is very wierd that it turned itself off, i know.

 

It is not just odd, it is not possible. Something has to forcibly reset the bit. On our particular BIOS (I also have an FZ model) I am not sure if a BIOS reset would force VT off (I suspect it might). But for a single bit in the BIOS to just change on its own is not possible. Something else is in play here.

Gary

 

Gary, would the "Get Default Values" option in the exit screen in the F2 BIOS settings reset this? I don't believe that I had keyed that option, but I thought that you can't turn off that value without using symcmos again.

 

@no1uknow,

All BIOS settings will returned to default values whenever you do "Load Setup Defaults" or similar in BIOS. This include VT setting (default is disabled). It also returned to defaults if the CMOS/RTC battery died.

 

That's what I was referring to in the quoted message above. But then kizwan seems to verify my suspicion that VT would be reset to off if you took the default values option, or if the battery went dead. But as I said you would notice if the battery was dead.

Gary

 

Hello there... I don't like to crosspost since i have a Acer 9810-6829 but it seems it shares the same Calistoga reference Bios and equipment of some sony models. Hence a stone in the pond for help if possible:
Notebook Acer Aspire 9810-6829 w/dual SATA disks
Booting in no quiet mode a Calistoga Bios reference that counts ram, throws a TPM error then corretcly recap and finally halts asking to press "any key"
The Bioses provided force a RAID rom configuration in except the BIOS XP 1.21 NO RAID that enumerates correctly BUT:
- NO IDE/SATA/AHCI menu (and possibly RAID suboption with no rom)
- NO VT

The laptop shares schematics of 9800-9810-9815-9920 branded Acer but by Inventec (bios for 9920 has the IDE/SATA/AHCI triple choice)

What would be liked to be achieved is, as in other laptops, that you can no quiet boot enable and (maybe without ram counting) at recap screen it would go on booting

In Bios the choice of IDE/SATA/AHCI (optional suboption of RAID with no rom but not necessary), VT and check if a Intel 4965AGN Wifi is installable without whitelists problems.
Any help is appreciated. Since a tad stuck.

 

I want to add a model: Sony VGN-FE780G. If you flash the Phoenix Bios of this model first with version R0200J3 replacing version R0173J3, you can then change reg 0195 to 0001 and VT will be enabled. I have successfully performed this change and Virtualbox which previously was unable to use VT now has it enabled.

 

With Kizwan's BIOS mods like of R2090J8 (for ALL VGN-AR with PM965) it is possible to set VT as default on in Phoenix Bios Editor whcih will circumvent the problem. Also: Since VT can be easily activated within the BIOS symcmos is not needed anymore...

KIZWAN truly is the master of BIOS editing in this forum. He did an amazing job on R2080J8 and the superior R2090J8, both of which I tuned into flashable wph images from backup bioses

 

Added to the master list.

Gary

 

So how does one go about activating it in the BIOS? Details or links would be most helpful.

Gary

 

KIZWAN "unhides" the hidden options embedded in the bios and creates a workaround menu in the main menu to access them. Very elegant.

Check his guide if you want to give it a try yourself :

Unlock Hidden menu in Phoenix BIOS Setup Menu Tutorial.pdf

 

That's pretty cool but a LOT more complex than just changing the register with Syncmos. To be honest I would never recommend anyone, except someone who has been around assembler, advanced machine code debugging etc to try the above. For the technically proficient it might be great, for the average user here, way to risky. The Syncmos method has a lot less risk of bricking a machine.

Gary

 

Agreed, the risk of bricking the machine is much greater if you do NOT know what you are doing, BUT the more people try to acquire the level of expertise KIZWAN already has, the better for us as a community!

I just posted a new thread on How to create a flashable bios from a VAIO backup bios:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...e-flashable-bios-backup-bios.html#post7098492

This is essential to the kind of modding KIZWAN is performing, because there are a lot of VAIOs out there, with nor bios updates available though Sony...

 

hi there
i have a vgn-ar71m and since this thread started i used your methodes to enable VT ,but recently i give to Hippotek a backup with my bios and he managed to make a flashable bios,i tested on my vaio,then i asked Kizwan to unhide available options in the advanced menu in bios and he did great work and give me a bios with all options showned,so with method you can have many options to use.so i recomand to all.

 

Hippotek and Samozen,

It appears that nether of you modded you own BIOS. (Hippotek says so in his signature line and Samozen says so in his message.) And I am guessing that was because of the complexity and inherent danger of the process.

That sort of supports my point that this method is GREAT if you know what you are doing, and are willing to take the risk. But for the average Jane or Joe coming to this thread with only needing to enable the VT option the Syncmos method makes a LOT more sense.

I am not trying to take anything away from what Kizwan has uncovered, I am just trying to clarify the point so that average Joe or Jane understands the difference.

But to be perfectly frank, I have been working with microcomputers since 1976 and am well versed in machine code debugging and assembler language, and I am not going to try his method mainly for one reason. The only change in the BIOS that I need is to have VT turned on (and I already have done that with Syncmos). And I suspect that the majority of folks coming to this thread have that one single need as well. If there were other needed options in the bios I might reconsider, but in my case (and for most others) there is no compelling need to use the more complex method.

Gary

 

@ScuderiaConchiglia

No offense, but Joe & Jane do not need VT...

The only reason why I am using KIZWAN's mod (and crediting him here): He is MUCH FASTER modding than I am because he has quite the track record doing so!

Yes, it is rather complex to do, but: IF only ONE person successfully mods any BIOS Joe & Jane can just download & flash the modded bios and don't even have to use cumbersome symcmos anymore...

The R2090J8 Samozen & I are using will work on any VGN-AR with a R****J8 bios and you will never ever have to use symcmos again

I'll try and do the same for FE series (R0200J3)

 

Oh, contraire. Lots of folks want to be able to use the "XP Mode" built into Win7 and for various reasons, not the least of which are the greedy hardware manufacturers who refused to provide Vista or Win7 drivers for their scanners, printers etc. That plus the occasional game or app that folks run into and the need for VT is much broader than you might think. I was surprised at the number of "everyday" folks who have approached me about it.


Please understand, I have nothing against the idea of what Kizwan has done, and you are absolutely correct once someone has modified the BIOS then other average Jane and Joe's can just capitalize on that work.

Gary

 

Thanks for this guide...worked like a charm on FZ140E....now I am able to install Server 2008 R2 (64-bit) in VirtualBox....

i dont see any risk with this guide, IF you follow the steps...you are just changing one value from 0 to 1

 

Thanks for this great guide. I was able to turn on Intel VT and AHCI on my Sony VAIO SZ75GN

 

hi there,

i cant found any informations VGN-CR355 Bios for AHCI.

i'm sure i know my VT-x bios code is reg 05BB by R2101Q0

how can i search it?

nobody knows?

added, i wanna be with Win7.

 

For
Aspire 3690/5610/5610Z/5630/5650/5680
TravelMate 2490/4200/4230/4260/4280
Extensa 5510/5510Z
(Board Model HBL50/HBL51)
Did any know what token is for AHCI?

 

This guide and thread is ONLY about Sony models. I suggest you ask this in an Aspire/Travelmate/Extensa related forum.

Gary

 

Yeah I see now.
Sorry for that,I was dizzy between to many opened tabs.

 

This is a great topic, thank you guys.

Any way to activate also 4GB support on my SZ1XP? I think it was disabled because the base processor was a T2400 which is 32bit and cannot really support 4GB). The chipset is supposed to support more than 4GB of memory and I'd like to be able to use 4GB with Win7 64bit on my T7600.

Thanks!

 

(Tested on Windows 7 64bit on SZ1XP/C with T7600)

If like me your system give you a quick blue screen of death after activating AHCI just change the registry key as explain here Error message when you start a Windows 7 or Windows Vista-based computer after you change the SATA mode of the boot drive: "STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE"

EDIT: you then can download and install the latest driver from Intel website.

 

Hi Mr Lizard,
Have you managed to enable AHCI on your model. If yes, please share. Thank you in advance!

 

no hope for VGN-BX51VN ?

VT register to change (i have to install XPmode on Win7)

if anyone knows the registers to change i would be very grateful...

i searched all over the net but i didn't find any reference.

Thank you in advance

 

Worked fine on my Sony Vaio VGN-CR19XN/B.
With Phoenix Trustedcore BIOS, version R0220Q0, VT register is still 05B2.

Thank you for your valuable help.

 

Added to the master list. Thanks for posting the info.

Gary

 

Any way to activate also 4GB support on VGN-FE1X / VGN-FE2X / VGN-FE3X / VGN-FE4X?

The voice in the Bios should be "Memory Mapping --> Enable"

 

Nothing to do?

 

What could be the option code to modify in default.txt?