Sony SZ6 series and Virtualization

Could any owner of SZ6 series confirm whether the virtulization option is there is BIOS or not? or Sony is still maintaining the same dumb attitude like before.

 

Haven't seen anything like that in the bios, then again, I'm not sure I've ever seen it in the hundreds of bios I've been into.

Can you clarify?

 

Do you mean like a VMWARE base??

I know DELL is working with VMWARE to make laptops that can install many virtual copies of OS's http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/9409/10433/Dell-working-on-virtual-pcs.phtml

but i dont think we'll see it on vaios anytime soon. Though have you tried the std MS virtual pc on the base vista platform yet??

 

Sony by default switches off cpu virtualization in all their computer. Remember CPU VT-X require BIOS support and Sony doesn't enable it. This is a big bummer. I am trying to find the link right now and will post a link to prove this.

 

Here it is:

http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/autoresponse.asp?id=381809

Try installing parellel, you'll know.

 

This is different from CPU based (VT-X) virtualization support present in all Intel CPUs. Almost all laptop manufacturers support it, except ofcourse Sony. See the link below. Imagine paying thousands of dollars on a machine and not getting full capabilities of your machine.

 

The link only says what they can't do.
What is it?

 

VT-x is hardware acceleration for virtualization software (vmware, parellel, xen, kvm etc). Sony by default don't enable this very important feature of Intel CPUs. So if want to run linux on your windows machine or vice versa, it will run slow. I know for sure HP/Compaq has the option to switch on VT-x in their BIOS. This real lame.

 

damn...that sucks...I'm planning to buy SZ and I rely heavily on VMware...what I should do? anyway to turn it on?

 

You have to be very careful if you want to buy a laptop with VT-X on. Dell has dubious history in this regard. M1710 has an option to switch it on. HP/Compaq has the option to switch it on in BIOS. All apple machines are switched on by default. I am still waiting for someone to let me know whether M1330 has it on. If it is, then M1330 is better than SZ6 in this regard.

 

Just now an user of XPS M1330 confirmed that there is an option in BIOS to switch on virtualization in it. I am still waiting for more people to confirm it. If it is then I'll put my money on it than SZ6.

 

thank so much boolda !

but M1330 is not for me either...because it has no Gigabit ethernet...plus it takes a long time to receive what you ordered...plus the bad build quality according to existing users...

Why does Sony not supporting this? OMG... paying $2000 and don't even get this feature... anyway to hack it so you can enable it?

I just can't find an ideal laptop besides Sony SZ...lightweight, performance, design, decent battery life...all-in-one...any other alternatives?

 

I agree, there is no right laptop. But I guess you can still compensate for the problem in M1330 by adding a PCI express gigabit card. But you can not do anything about SZ6 problem. Othewise, just wait till October, there is a very high chance of a new Apple laptop.

 

the current Apple laptops are not ideal for me...the Macbook only uses the built-in Intel graphic processor, which is not powerful enough... and Macbook Pro is much heavier...hopefully Apple will release a lightweight + powerful laptop when Leopard is out...but I don't think I can wait that long...

 

Actually, there is not much of difference between weight Macbook and Macbook pro, around half a pound. Macbook pro seems to be the laptop that has everything that I want, except I want a latop that around 4 lb.

 

Actually even less than that now since the switch to LED-backlit screens...... the current MBP is now 5.4 pounds and 1" thick vs. 5.2 pounds and 1.08" thick for the MacBook.

-Zadillo

 

anyone have a copy of any sz series bios flash we can download??

lets see if we can modify it to turn vt-x on.

 

I don't know where you can get bios flash...but i found an thread in another forum which seems that the poster attempted to modify it...

here's the link:
http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic9326.html

hope this help...


anyone knows how effective is VT? how slow will virtual machine runs without VT? can you still do anything without VT? If it's just a little bit slower... I guess I will still buy the SZ...

 

Sounds like false advertisement.

Since Intel 7500 supports it. Why does SONY have it disabled?

Lawsuit time.

 

Just because something is supported, that does not mean that a company needs to utilise it.

 

Your best bet on this would be to contact Sony Support and get to a Level Two (not 1 or 1.5) support person. These people have the ear of engineering who would actually do the work and possibly know if such a thing is already in the works.

This is how I found out that an XP Downgrade set of drivers is not only in the works (when everyone thought there was no way) but that it would be released sometime in October.

 

Pure software virtualization works only for VMware. If you use Linux KVM or Xen or Parellel you won't be able to run them, because they require BIOS support.

 

Nope. Dell and Sony both faced lawsuits when they swapped CPUs with VT support with CPUs not supporting VT without the knowledge of customers. But in this case Sony is not hiding anything form you. It's clearly mentioned in their support docs. Moreover, Intel left upto the vendor to decide whether thy support VT-x or not.

 

AFAIK, no one has been able to enable VT by modifying the BIOS yet. IntuitiveNipple had attempted to do it, but he didn't succeed and ultimately had to send his notebook in to Sony for repair.

The guy pictured in the left on this page is probably responsible for all the BIOS changes. It would be great if we had his contact information.

 

I hope VT is also in works

 

anyone got new info?

i found this thread in vmware's official forum...
http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=698516&
pay attention to what jmattson posted...he suggested a software solution...can SZ6 owners try this?

more info:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=361236&page=3
http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=698516&
http://www.opensolaris.org/jive/thread.jspa?messageID=147121&tstart=0
http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic9326.html

 

Unfortunately, he only suggests a software solution MIGHT be possible. If the MSR lock is not set. I downloaded the ISO and will run it latter to see if we have that small glimmer of hope. But I need to make a complete ghost image of my C: drive first! .... big ol' grin ...

Gary

 

Have any of you that are interested in this called Sony's Level 2 support??? Because I'd like the answer to this too.

 

thanks!
if it didn't work...then that probably means Sony did this purposely...yet they haven't explained why...I hope they will fix it in the near future...otherwise I might have to go with ASUS W7S...it seems like that ASUS W7S is the only one that can compare to SZ6...but not as good...

It would be very nice if you can get the answer from them. I wonder if Sony is willing to help those of us who haven't bought the SZ6 yet...I contacted them twice...it was not helpful at all...first time they told me to contact SonyStyle pre-sale service...second time they told me to keep looking on the website for update...... it feels like I was getting a 0.5 level support person...

I also contacted P1 about this, they might be helpful since they are an Sony authorized seller, so they should have closer relationship with Sony... dealing with P1 was a much better experience... they told me that their team and a Level 3 engineer at Sony will look into this problem... yeah...level 3...that's what they said...... Let's hope they will solve this problem...

 

Well I finally go around to this. I burned the ISO and ran the test. It says:"VT is disabled in the feature control MSR!".

But id didn't say anything about being locked. I can't tell from jmatson's comments in the noted thread if that means we have any REAL hope of enabling VT or not. I am going to invetsigate this a bit further.

Gary

 

I got some replies in the VMWARE forums. One was down right scary. Here is a link to a thread here with more about what I found.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2454878&highlight=virtualization#post2454878

Gary

 

There is more to report, it's over in this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=167123

 

thank you Gary for the info.

 

Well I heard some more from the VMWare thread. Apparently the VT bit only matters when doing 64 bit VM's and had no effect at all at 32 bits. So I won't be trying to turn that bit on after all.

Gary

 

it's getting very technical there on VMware forum...and I don't have a VAIO laptop to test with..... why Sony made this so complicated... can anyone call them up and see what they can do?