I am nuts!! I open the tz90 (pics)

So I opened my laptop today. Had it less than a week and I really wanted the 7200rpm hd in there instead of the slow 5400. So I cracked the sucker open and replaced the hd. I am writing this on my laptop so I did get it back together and it still works

First of all it was really easy to do once you figured out where all the damn screws were. The obvious ones on the botton and under the battery and memory cover. The less obvious ones are the three at the front of the computer under the tabs., they are just under the headphone jack, the mouse and the right hand corner. You need to pry the covers off and you will see the screws. The last one and hardest to find is on the botton of the laptop under one of the sticky rubber boots beside the VGA connector. The last step is to release the cliips on the screen hinge which you will see once you remove the battery.

Here are some pics of the inside of your TZ90's

Enjoy

http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4329.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4330.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4331.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4332.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4333.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4334.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4335.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4336.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4337.JPG

 

Ur definitely nutz.... But great pics thou! Keep up the crazy work!

Wow... the HDD sits directly on top of the optic drive... must be very thin!

 

thats good, nice to see sony tz dissected

 

How's the heat with the 7200 rpm hdd?

Do you notice a decrease in battery life?

 

I don't have a cdrom drive in the laptop. That hd is a second one that is instead of the drive.

 

I haven't noticed a different on heat or the battery life yet, I will do some more testing later this week. I do however notice that the computer is more responsive and has more of a kick to it which is very nice.

 

I like to know where is the mini wlan adapter located? I didn't see it.

 

I realized that I couldn't see it in the pics after I had put the unit back together. If I open it again I will look for it... I also didn't see any option for a Sprint/Verzion/AT&T chip.

 

I think the chip is under the usb board in the left of the laptop.

 

thanks. don't know if you've ever seen it before but its actually small credit card looking. For those that got it with the G wireless but may want to upgrade to the N later on or change it to another brand, I wonder how easy it is to do. I know on my Thinkpad, it was extremely easy.

 

I would love to upgrade to a new minipci with N on it... Maybe in a couple of months when I crack my tz open again to change out the 32 SSD

 

A guy on a german board describes that he opened his sony tz to replace the WLan module with a Draft n Adapter from Intel.
http://img355.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tz901dm5.jpg

The thread (but he does not say much abaut it).

 

Here's his english review...

http://www.leog.net/fujp_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11670

 

Nice pics! I don't suppose we could get some pics of the underside of the motherboard? Looks like they've moved a lot of the components on the backside of the motherboard (ie. cpu is on the bottom, and it looks like the wifi is as well) compared to the TX.

Look at all that extra space without the dvd in there! You need to shove something else is there...

I think I see the wifi card peeking through here beneath the usb and card reader (WM39...):
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4335.JPG
http://dsm-corp.com/tz90/IMG_4329.JPG

 

LOL I will take some new pics when I replace that minipci card. You are right it is under the usb board.

 

Hi all , NO-DVD version = 3 USB ! correct ?
and DVD-version = 2 USB

I honestly think no-dvd version is just too awesome!

I am thinking of adding 64GB SSD (2.5inch) one to replace the 160GB included one.

 

you're absolutely correct.
but, no-dvd = no av mode!

 

I've read somewhere that the AV Mode uses more battery power than booting into windows.

How much is a 64GB SSD these days?

 

Can you say something more about the last step...

"The last step is to release the cliips on the screen hinge which you will see once you remove the battery. "

I'm still cannot get it open becuse of the stupid screen hinge...

my TZ is a SSD + DVD version... do you think that I can remove the DVD completely and install the 2.5"HD by buying some components?

thanks for your reply first...

 

I've read somewhere that someone saw the component on the tz where the dvd usb cable can be converted to the sata but you would have to have the extra plug/cord and have to dig in there to do so.

I'm just so glad I ordered one with the 2.5" hd only and tomarrow i'm going to plug in the 32gb ssd samsung =) for the os only and hitachi travelstar 7k200 for 200gb of space =)

 

Where did you purchase the SSD?

 

jjahshik32, how much did you get your 1.8inch SSD for ? I assume you bought Samsung SSD.

I realized that you got your TZ recently and u are upgrading to SSD-version yourself...

I am wondering whether you manage to get a cheaper deal by buying SSD separately and installing yourself , is a better choice?

If the cost is less than about 100USD for buying separately, (than ordering SSD version from Conics) then I really think just getting SSD+HDD version from Conics much better. As well, you dont run any risk of voiding warranties, etc.

 

I think I read it was from Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147021

 

ok, 509USD + shipping from neweggs,
and i just double-checked with Conic's 32+160 (which cost 619USD), Just over 100USD...... Still is this worth installing yourself..? heh;;;

I guess, in my case, yes, I will upgrade my 160GB to 64GB SSD (2.5inch) within 3months hows that?

 

All the 64GB versions I have seen a quite expensive. I doubt they will come down that much in 3 months.

 

Nanaki, ok, maybe in 6 months
BTW, did you get your TZ ??? mine will arrive in a few days!!! damn, cant wait.
Also, is TZ supporting all MMC/SD/SDHC cards? It looks like I can insert about 4GB of SD (or SDHC) card to use as a 'paging-file' disk, to further improve speed?
Anyone disagree.? I guess SSD itself will be much faster to store In/out of Pagefiles... Hmm..

 

how do i do that? sounds cool

 

Your SSD will vastly outperform any media card you use.

And, no, I haven't received my TZ yet. VOS should, hopefully, be sorted out now. I was expecting these delays, considering they lost their VOS-virginity to me.

 

yeap I ordered from newegg its a $100 usd cheaper and I read on another thread that posted all the screws on the tz and all you have to do is take those out and use a piece of paper and mark where goes where, I'll do the same as I did to the macbook pro and just draw a pic on a piece of white color paper on exactly where the screws go and put circles around the screws where its located. And I heard after you unscrew it all from the back then the top just comes off with one ribbon cable (guessing its the keyboard ribbon) same as on my mbp. And sounds similar and its smaller so seems easier to do.

 

What brand SSD did you order jjahshik32 ?

edit: I see, Samsung.

 

i'm still waiting for my ssd drive and its 11:30 am here, man next day air is nice but by 3pm is brutal.

 

hmm the ssd i ordered is the same one as the one that tz comes with but it comes in a case that is different i think i have to opened the case up to install

 

this ssd drive doesnt have a zif connector, do you have to buy a zif connector converter?

 

Yes, this is the trickiest aspect of installing your own SSD, you have to match Sony's internal connectors.

 

I found out you have to order one of these mcboe32gqapq-mwa.

 

That model from Japan is $560 US, not including any shipping costs.

http://www.oliospec.com/miniitx/miniitx_flash.html

 

does it have english translation the site?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2372154#post2372154

 

hmm.. then where do you buy a ssd drive with zif connector in the states??

 

ohhh. damn it jjashik32, sorry for your hassles mate... But I hope you can get the Zif version, hopefully wouldnt cost you any more.

 

I just bought a Sandisk UATA 5000 1.8" 32GB Solid State Hard Drive off ebay this 1 guy was selling it that he pulled out his dell d420 and now has a different laptop which doesnt use the zif interface. He saids this drive is a 1.8" with zif so i'm praying to go this is the right one to install into. =P

 

jjashik32, Ok, before you go and complete the installation.

1. Please do take some pictures of your SSD and covers, metal-frames, screws, Zifs, and post them

 

will do and pray that its the correct drive =***

 

Hi guys. Was just wondering if anyone knows where to get TZ spare parts in the states. The reason im asking is a litle bit strange. I'm a European ordering a TZ from Japan and hoping to equip the japanese TZ with the Sprint EVDO WWAN module from somewhere (we Europeans get none of the goodies of Asia or the US) . Gotta open mine up anyway to replace the 160gb hdd with a Samsung Spinpoint M2 250gb hdd and just looking to make the almost perfect ultra-portable complete. Will hopefully be inserting a 64gb ssd around nov/dec asuming they become available to consumers so im wishing you guys all the best with your SSD mods. Good luck.

I cant imagine that Sony would go to the expense of making different motherboards for different regions so it has to be possible to equip different regions with different modules. Does anyone know where the one-seg module slots in as that would be the most likely place for Sony to use as an expansion bay for the WWAN module.

Also, and this does sound stupid and crazy i know, would it be possible to replace the one-seg tuner with a pal/ntsc alternative?

I know im asking for the moon but imagine a 64gb ssd, 250gb hdd, tv tuner , WWAN ultraportable weighing 1.19kg. The mind would boggle....and then explode.

 

While looking at all ads I noticed TZ comes with - Sprint® Mobile Broadband high-speed EV-DO WAN. I have account with at&t (cingular). Is it different hardware, or its just software?
Rob

 

You can order the 64GB version of the Samsung for 148,000 Yen, which is about $1,300 US.

I am not sure. I will have a look around later to see if I can find any images of a TZ opened up that has the 1seg tuner. It would probably be easier just to get an express card.

Give it a year or two, and that will be the accepted norm. I will upgrade my SSD when they have 128GB drives, but, by then, I would have probably bought a new one.

 

Hey Nanaki,

The $1300 price tag for a 64gb ssd is just too much for me to swallow. I'll have to wait till the price drops.

From an early powerpoint presentation of the TZ internals the one-seg tuner was located under where the dvd drive would be in the ssd models, or under the usb card adapter on the 2.5" hdd models. That still leaves a large amount of open space above the dvd/hdd assembly which appears to be used for nothing on japanese models. Considering the location of the tuner it should be possible (at least in space terms) to allow users from any region to have a WWAN and a tuner onboard at the same time.

The advantage of using an internal tuner would be three-fold.
1) You could keep the expresscard slot free.
2) An internal tuner would be less unsightly and obtrusive than an add-on as I honestly cannot find an addon tuner card that will not make the TZ look like it has a tumour growing out of its side.
3) An onboard should use less power than an expresscard which helps maintain battery life.

The oneseg models appear to have a port just beside the vga-out which has a tuner cable attachment. I am finding it very difficult to find a large amount of info on the oneseg system in English (the translators are not great when you need detailed discriptions). If you get a chance to disect a oneseg equipped TZ could you post some photos please.

 

Hi Juris'
Hope you succeeded with modding your TZ.
I have the same problem: the one-seg-tuner has no reference-drivers and no applications compatible with it. Not even Debian detects it!

Yesterday, i was encouraged by this thread to open the case and to spy into my TZ. Maybe I will have the time to post some Pics here in this board about the built-in tuner.

Running the hardware-detection-routines of a good linux-distri, you will already have noticed that almost all internal peripherals of your TZ are integrated via USB-2.0 (excellent power-saving abilities, -normally very good driver-availiability, good PnP support...) So I am planning to get an hauppauge-tuner or compareable to fix my TZ for European (in my case German) Networks.

I'll report later when I'm in phase 2 (detailled planning).

Greez,
Johannes (Dortmund)