Insyde hacking - New Vaio Z - Advanced menu in BIOS

ahah ok i'll let my VGN-Z with both graphic cards running on my linux system :'(

 

Older version? I was pretty sure I had the latest version when I patched mine. Now I wonder. Perhaps I'll have to check that I hacked the latest version.

 

Hello , i've just done with my VAio VPC-Z13m9E it works like a charm .

thanks for this guide .

 

Hi , im using F12M1Eh vaio with i5 processor...
i've tried to overclock my cpu before but i couldn't do it because of sony's interfaces i guess , it does not let me to change the cpu frequency...
briefly, can anyone explain what to do again?thank you so muchh

 

hey guys!can someone guide me how to do the instalation kit for my european model of vpc-z notebook? Does the flash of the bios makes me lose my guaranty?

 

It's already here (I have also an EU version). Yes you of course will lose your warranty if they get your laptop with modified hardware or BIOS for service.

 

Hi guys, I'm getting a weird error when I try to run my advanced_menu.py file, when following this post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...vaio-z-advanced-menu-bios-18.html#post6638707

When I use portable Python, I get this error pop up:


Any help?

 

Anyone know if we can use the Universal BIOS Backup Toolkit to get a correct copy of the ROM?

Universal BIOS Backup Toolkit

 

Delete this post.h

 

I remember the original guide emphasized to use Python version 2.6.1. Try that version instead of new version.

 

Where I can find the Fla?

 

It is really easy:

1. download freedos UNetbootin - Homepage and Downloads
2. Use freedos to make a usb stick bootable
3. unzip the contents of my zip file into the root of the usb stick computercowboy.com/Downloads/VPC-Z_Bios.zip
4. go in your bios and go to the boot menu
5. make external boot device enabled
6. move external usb hard drive up above internal hard drive
   
7. boot off the USB stick
8. hit enter on the first screen
9. hit enter on the second screen (dont' worry it won't install anything on the hard drive)
10. at the A:> prompt type C: and hit enter
11. then type "F L A S H I T backup.rom /g" take the spaces out of the first word of that command, this will make a backup of your current BIOS
12. then type "F L A S H I T hacked.rom /f" take out the spaces from the first word, this will put my hacked BIOS on
13. remove the usb stick, set your boot options back the way they were

Now that the BIOS hack is done, enable the VGA Switch

http://computercowboy.com/VAIO/VPC-Z1/BIOS_Hack/Gallery/Enable_VGA_Switch.jpg

http://computercowboy.com/VAIO/VPC-Z1/BIOS_Hack/Gallery/Enable_VT-x.jpg

http://computercowboy.com/VAIO/VPC-Z1/BIOS_Hack/Gallery/Enable_VT-d.jpg

 

Could an expert make a guide explaining all features of the VAIO-Z BIOS ? I see options that seem to be very interesting to improve battery life or performances. But because I don't know how to do a "Clear CMOS" without opening my laptop, I can't try by myself. I would really appreciate if someone could explain what is each option for, or the effect.

 

The options pictured in my post above are the ones that I use. I don't know too much about the other options. I use VGA Static Switching to install modded nVidia drivers, and I use VT-x and VT-d for increase performance with Virtual Machines, this would be good for XP mode also.

You can reset your BIOS with out opening it, just use the menu. It is called "Load Default values" or something like that, on the right most page of the BIOS menu.

Be careful with options you don't understand on the unlocked advanced menu, you can render your computer unbootable and maybe even unpostable, in which case you would have to disconnect the CMOS battery

 

Hi guys!I'm having some problems flashing the hacked BIOS to my VAIO it keeps giving me this error:
Error: IHISI 15h fail.Internal error 20 FFC00000
FBTS permission is denied by user.
Have no idea why or what have i done wrong i had tried all the possibilities including disable TPM,making again the USB,formated as FAT32/NTFS,i also tried another BIOS hack from a chines site for Z series but gives the same errors

 

OMG, better keep your hands away from that or you will come up with a bricked Z soon.

 

profy and I have exchanged numerous PMs and I am convinced he is booting Freedos into the mode where you don't have access to write the BIOS, there is a post on maybe page 5 of this thread about it. Could someone find it for him please? I am busy with work.

Also Profy, why don't you reset to defaults then set up usb drive boot only then try flashing again.

 

Don't worry if i brick the Z at list a know that i've done it and not someone else but i will take care not to brick it
Edit:I've read all the topic and found out that when i access fisrt option second menu freedos it gives me the same thing like the guy from post no° 225-229 from the same thread with the driver but seems that no one didn't find the solution for his prb so I think I will quit also even if the advance menu would be very useful,by the way i tried also the freedos boot cd only from the second menu of free dos but it's the same errors as i the post no° 336 from the same thread

 

VT-x is a must - the performance difference between virtualization with VT-x disabled and enabled is enormous. And you can't run 64-bit VMs in most virtual machines without VT-x.

VT-d, on the other hand, is not going to be useful for the vast majority of users, and chances are that you don't use it. It allows direct I/O access to (non-CPU) hardware, but you likely don't have any hardware that has been assigned direct access by the VM guest, but go through virtual devices for access.
If you run 32-bit guests and don't know[*] that you use direct I/O to hardware, I strongly recommend turning VT-d off. There is no need to expose the hardware addresses and reduce the total amount of addressable memory to the guest. It also makes it possible for the guest to crash the host, so it's best avoided unless you know[*] you need it.


[*] As in know because you exposed the hardware to the VM by hand-editing a config file, or verified the interrupt addresses and memory map of the explicit hardware you exposed.

 

There is nothing that automatically uses VT-d?

 

I managed to flash the BIOS hack after the tutorial from the first page i made all the steps and voila it worked!:wub: but i have no idea why with the one from computer cowboy didn't want to flash still a mystery
What is the difference between the vga switching policy (dynamic/static/auto)?

 

Static is the one you want to use when you want to run the latest nVidia drivers with the INF mod.

I think dynamic and auto are the same. Auto just automatically sets it to dynamic.

 

dynamic is not for switchable graphic card i mean is not like so that you do not need to reboot to apply the changes between speed/auto/stamina?

 

I find your post very difficult to understand.

Auto/Dymanic are the same, this is the factory default: swtich on the fly graphic
Static is why we did the hack in the first place: boot to speed to use nvidia, boot stamina to use intel, no switching without a reboot

 

Not that I know of. Granted, my recent experience is limited to VMware Server, VMware ESXi, VMware Workstation and Xen.
In Xen, you can easily expose anything on the bus to the guest; in vmware it's a bit more tricky and limited.

 

Now, if this is possible, it is worthy of a thread and guide.
I will send a PM... (does this site have PMs?)
thanks,
Bruce.

 

Has anyone noticed that we can change the memory bus speeds in the hacked bios from 1066 to 1333 yet Im not sure if it will actually change anything? Or if would it allow us to actually swap the memory with 1333 mhz?

anyone know / tested this?

 

^Chipset only supports 1066. I believe someone tried it and it didn't work. Remember if something goes wrong you'll have to hope a cmos reset fixes it, and that's a PITA on the Z.

 

Can anyone point me at where to find the option to enable fast boot? i can't seem to find it inside the bios even after flashing it

 

I have a question for any Z gamers out there that have performed this mod. I have really bad results with Battlefield 2 and can not get stable gameplay overclocked or not at 720p. When I youtube other laptops with like specs, MBP & Samsung, it seems like they have no issues with this game.

So, what is the deal? I am using the latest 270 drivers and bios modded. I use EVGA Precesion to overclock. Is there a better tool out there? I also have Win 7 on performance and Vaio power manager on performance.

 

Too right mate, mines lag even with 1366x768 Modern Warfare 2 (Which i believe you all know is a very low demanding game!) I'd actually have to ditch thermal vision from my classes as it creates unacceptable lag.

 

Is your thermal setting set for Performance? When it's on Quiet it will throttle down everything when it heats up. Modern Warfare 2 runs fine for me at that resolution and medium settings. Haven't tried BattleField 2, but BFBC2 runs rather well I think.

 

Hi
I have a acer extensa 4630 with insyde bios.
i would get this error:
File "advanced_menu.py", line 82, in <module>
raise ValueError("Invalid VSS signature")
ValueError: Invalid VSS signature

help and thanks

 

EDIT: ya, i found 24 56 53 53. from a hex editor
BUT
there is two of them.
what shuold i do?

 

hi, i want to flash bios because i really need intel vt but i don't find the link for fla tools.
If someone can post one that would be great

 

page 9, 1st post.

 

will this work for all insyde bios for vaio s 2011 series?

 

Perhaps, if SONY didnt change the offsets for the vss mod.

 

Any BIOS gurus have any idea what setting in the hacked BIOS might allow me to boot with the ViDock plugged in? It is very annoying, the only way to get the ViDock to work is if I plug it in at just the right time during the post.

 

I just did this bios hack with VPCZ1390. Took me 8 months to decide to try it =).

But i just did it without editing anything and it worked..without spitting any errors in the python script.

But to my suprise, there is nothing in there I want to change.

I am hoping to change the NVIDIA 330M clock rates though?

 

you didn't need the bios hack to o/c the gpu

 

Agree, I only did it because I needed to access HDD IDE mode to update my SSD which I put instead of the stock Raid.

 

I know. I just wanted to flash the settings into the BIOS so I dont have to constantly run overclocking software in windows itself. But i've since found a program that will do this for me when I switch power schemes, which is even better.

 

Hi all,

i m looking for the latest Z13:
- BIOS link
- 330m drivers link


And also looking for the way to DISABLE the nvidia audio card. Can i do it with advanced options in bios after flashed?

I don't know if i'm updated, or if this bios tweak works correctly with my current bios



Can someone tell me?

Thanks

 

Make sure you have the latest BIOS installed ist is version R3030C3, it should be what is on your Z13 already. Follow the instructions on the first post to do the BIOS hack

Once you have done the BIOS hack you can use my modified nVidia drivers

You will want to make sure to remove all the dirvers for both intel and nVidia before installing any new ones.

I don't know about disabling nVidia audio, that doesn't sound right, the audio may pass through HDMI but that doesn't make it nVidia audio

 

Thx!

On Win7 devices i read 4 times "Nvidia Audio ... "
I'm trying to remove/disable it cause i have an external USB audio card too (that i use only at home).

When i remove/disable them, and i restart the system they always return "on".

but if u tell that this is a realtek bypass for HDMI audio, i'll leave them there.

Another question about new Nvidia Drivers: i like the dynamic switching, so do they will remove it?
And why do everybody try to disable it?

 

Why disable them? You can just use the Sound control panel to set your default playback device. I have two USB sound cards, one analog on TosLink, the built in audio and A2DP over Bluetooth. I just select the default device I want and it works great, no need to disable anything.

 

yes but i have a lot of sound delay with my USB sound blaster, and i'm trying some solution like to remove any other audio devices...

Speaking about "GPU dynamic switch"... does the new nvidia driver support it?

Thx for all

 

My driver supports it, throw the switch, reboot. Works every time.

 

Has anyone tried flashing with a quad-ssd setup?
Is it safe?