Problems installing an x64 OS on my VGN-Z21WN/B

I am currently running the Windows 7 RC1 beta on my VGN-Z21WN/B. It comes with 4GB RAM but from my understanding a 32 bit OS will only be able to use 3 GB of them. Also, the system actually has over 4GB since (at least im told) the RAM in the graphic card should also be added into the total amount.

Now you understand why I would like to use a x64 OS instead, so here comes my problem: Whenever I try to install one the computer gives me a BSOD and does a physical memory dump. The installation itself is no problem, but when I log in it crashes.

I have attempted with two different Win 7 RC1 x64 discs and a official Windows Vista x64 disc from Microsoft and the result is always the same.

After too many failed attempts I decided to give up and reload my old installation using the image tool (which works wonderful!) and now I am using Win 7 RC1 x86 again.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? Or do you have any suggestions to the cause of the problem?

 

Don't use the Windows 7 RC1 x64. This one creates 2 more partitions when installing, that may be the cause of BSOD:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5122980&postcount=11
I had the same problem but now, it works with the Windows 7 build 7600 x64.

 

Problem is the same thing happens when I use the Windows Vista x64 disc I have. If it was just Win 7 RC1 there was the problem, it should not happen when I use that disc, right?

Edit: Well iv downloaded and attempted to install the 7600 build of Win 7 x64, but same story. To be honest there seems to be a problem with the partitions on the harddrive.

edit #2: Well, looks like I finally figured out what the common denominator was with all the BSODing. The key is to not use any of the partition resize tools during installation. Delete all partitions and make windows install on the unpartitioned space - this gave me the first working x64 installation. I am confident that whatever build of windows 7 (or vista) you try to use will work if you do as mentioned earlier. If not I will edit this post later (I am testing with the 7100 build now).

edit #3: Forget what I wrote earlier about it working with build 7100. This turned out to be wrong - so I will just keep using build 7600. Now I have an activation problem to solve!

edit #4: Well that didn't last long! I was about to put build 7600 back, but got a bsod again even with me doing exactly as I did last time (where it worked just fine). I guess there is some random factor there is beyond me, or I just dont understand what the hell goes on. Im gonna reload build 7100 x86 and remain happy with that till I can talk with Sony or someone who knows a lot more then me.

 

Did you try deleting all partitions and letting Windows create for you?

 

Yeah thats what I thought solved the problem, but turned out it didnt.

 

The problem is the darn UEFI. As soon as Vista X64 or Win 7 x64 detect that you've lost as you'll bluescreen without an end.

The trick I got it to run and install is to get into the bootmanager and select the Mata drive to boot from. Never use the ACPI entry (which is default btw). Once you did that you should be able to install and run just fine.

If you got the european version of the Z then you might also want to take a look at Gobiloader ( http://blogs.6bit.com/josh/2009/05/qualcomm-gobi-wwan-card-on-windows-7/) as the Qualcomm card won't work without it when using Win 7.

 

I used to have exactly the same problem as you, try a different ISO of the 7600 build.

I have two different releases of the 7600 build, one that gives me massive bsod attacks, just like you and one that works just fine. (using it right now)

 

Problem is that iv experienced two different things with the same disc. First it installed just fine. Next try I get constant BSODs. I cant help wondering what made the first installation work but the second one die.

 

I'm running on Windows 7 RC x64 Build 7100 and I never have any BSOD or installation problems.

Although I had to completely clean out my hard drive and convert it to GPT first before installing windows. Why Sony would use EFI+MBR is completely out of my mind.

Also, make sure that when you first create a partition during Windows installation, there is another partition called Microsoft System Reserved (MSR) partition that is automatically created.

This partition is around 100MB for me and is required for all GPT formatted hard drives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Reserved_Partition

 

Would replacing the harddrive that came with the computer with something not touched by Sony maybe solve this problem? Or is the whole EFI/MBR BIOS related?

 

Nah, replacing the drive wouldn't solve the problem. My experience is only BIOS or better EFI related. This only happens when installing an x64 OS though..

 

You shouldn't need to replace the hard drive because there are many people reporting success running Windows 7 x64 on factory sony hard drive.

I'm thinking this is more of an EFI+MBR related issue. Because initially, I modified my Windows 7 x64 iso file with a tool that skips the GPT detection. That did not go well because I'd get a BSOD in place of the windows welcome screen (before the automatic performance configuration, during last step of installation).

After that, I used the original Win7 x64 iso file that I downloaded from microsoft However this time, I cleaned out my hard drive and converted it to GPT format using diskpart. This solved the BSOD problem for me. Just be awared that if you use the diskpart clean command, all your data will be lost including the hidden sony recovery partition.

 

The bsods seems to be somwhat random at times, I managed to get it installed with my "bad" disc as well and certain drivers managed to get installed sometimes and sometimes they would bsod during installlation.

I would avoid bsod during setup to not partition my HDD for example, like you described.

 

Well the image on my harddrive is long gone (I burned it instead).

I did a bit of googleing, but I did not find any detailed descriptions of what commands to use with Diskpart. Would you mind helping with what to do? I mean detailed. The disk is completely wiped and there is no partitions on it at the moment.

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(WS.10).aspx

read up on these commands:
select
detail
convert
clean
create <-- shouldn't need to do this as you can create your own partitions in windows; the MSR partition should be automatically created when you try to create your first primary partition during install

 

Working on a "clean all" at the moment, guess "create partition efi size=50000" should come after.

That should make it 50GB and GPT right?

 

dont use clean all, it'll take forever. clean is suffice.

also as mentioned, you dont need to create your own partitions. Just convert the hard disk to GPT format and proceed on windows installation. It'll prompt you to create the partitions, do so from there and windows will automatically create the required partitions for GPT hard disks.

 

Ok, but since the disc is completly clean at the moment what command would convert it to GPT? I would guess "convert gpt" but confirmation would be nice.

edit: Well "convert gpt" worked! Installing the 7100 build now. Will report back with BSODs and other info.

edit #2: First try caused the installer (and computer) to freeze completely after doing two screen resolution changes.

After doing /select disk 0 /clean /convert gpt the same thing happend (but with BSOD this time instead of freezing).

Build 7600 worked even worse. I will try to get in touch with Sony tomorrow and ask if they have any idears and whatnot.

 

can you post a picture of the result when you enter these commands?

select disk 0
detail disk

for some reasons i think your installation didn't partition your hard drive correctly..

 

Heres what I get when I do that: (the partition here is created by the installer and the win 7 installation does the usual BSOD when I try to boot it)

Disk ID : {C22A5DFC-B690-86EB-D8434CFE97D3}
Type : SATA
Status : Online
Path : 0
Target : 0
LUN ID : 0
Location Path : PCIROOT<0>#PCI<1F02>#ATA<c00T00L00>
Current Read-only : No
Read-only : No
Boot Disk : No
Pagefile Disk : No
Hibernation File Disk : No
Crashdmp Disk : No
Clustered Disk : No

Colume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----- ---- --------- ----- ------ -----
Volume 1 C NTFS Partition 232GB Healthy
Volume 2 FAT32 Partition 100MB Healthy Hidden

 

I have hte same problem someone solved the issue?

I dont understand why sony forbids installation of x64 systems.

 

Sony doesn't forbid x64 installations. It's a Windows/BIOS issue. As soon as the Windows installler detects an EFI it requires a GPT layout.

Activate the bootmanager while booting and select the DVD drive (not the ACPI entry) and the EFI detection is history. I wasted hours on that including playing with diskpart and other stuff. The only method that reliably works is through the bootmanager.

 

Sounds interesting, could you write something more detailed about it?

 

I'm very interested to learn more!

 

Just keep pressing the 'esc' key several times when you turn on your laptop, you'll see the bootmanager that way.

However, I never recall having the need to do that in order to have a proper Win7 installation...

 

Only thing that gives me is a list over operating systems - submenus here offer RAM tests ect, but nothing there looks like what you described earlier? Maybe you mean the advanced menu in the sub menu?

Here are the options there:
Repair your computer

Safe mode
Safe mode with networking
Safe mode with command prompt

Enable boot logging
Enable low-resolution video (640x480)
Last known good configuration (advanced)
Directory sercives restore mode
Debugging mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure
Disable driver signature enforcement

Start windows normally


Is what you are talking about any of this?

 

The "F1" key does the trick on my Z. Also tried the "ESC" approach first which is working fine as long as your DVD-Drive is the first entry in the boot devices list.

You don't need any of this if you install a 32bit version of Windows 7 btw.
Only 64 bit versoins are troublesome and only because of the bl**dy Insyde H2O BIOS...

If I installed Vista x64 or Windows 7 x64 without the Bootmanager thing I got bluescreens all around for apparently no reasons. Diskpart was one thing I tried as well with no success whatsoever. We'll see how it'll work with the final release of Win7 and maybe a BIOS update or two..

 

Hi Relephant, any success on installing a x64 OS with the bootmanager thing? I would like to know the success of that approach. Thanks!

 

Im still not sure how installing it with the boot manager would differ from the normal installation procedure.

I did find a bios update for the insyde h2o thing, but im yet to try if it changes anything. Will try later tonight and report back.

edit #1: Well the bios didnt help. After the usual bsod i entered diskpart, did /select disk 0 /clean and rebooted. During setup I pressef F1 as suggested earlier and there was something called "windows setup [EMS enabled] or something like that and doing setup with that now.

Installer is a lot slower then usual, but I have plenty of time. Lets see how this goes!

 

Since nothing else has worked so far I googled a bit more and i stumpeld upon http://feature-enable.blogspot.com/...ased-sony-vaio.html?showComment=1248273725630 Its about some way to modity vaio computers with the insyde bios, but I am too stupid to really make sense of it.

It does sound like something there might work, but I fear screwing around with the bios.

 

No, that only enables VT as well as the advanced configuration setting with our bios. It has nothing to do with windows installation.

 

Someone found solution for this problem.

Someone can call USA Support cause I am not USA citizen but I bought my Z in USA.

 

There are a few people having this problem, so I don't think someone can call Support for you. If I'm not wrong, the Z have an international warranty, so you can call your local support.

 

Is that a question? Or requests?

Im from Europe and iv called local support only to be informed that they only support the x86 operating systems.

 

after many many BSOD's installing and running 64bit windows 7 on my vgn-z17 i followed the instructions and entered the bootmanager and selected the option with DVD in it and had my first BSOD free installation. i have been running windows 7 now for a day without any problems. cheers