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    VAIO F11 BIOS Update - does it exist?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by brokaaa, May 9, 2013.

  1. brokaaa

    brokaaa Newbie

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    Hey there...

    I am using a Vaio F (VPCF11C5E), built in 2010. From the beginning I was experiencing the well known issue with the thermal regulation / unpredictable fan speeds. I was researching the topic for a couple of months in 2010 but from what I read back then, it is more or less a problem of the processor (i5) heat regulation by the BIOS. And back then, there was no update for the BIOS or anything else available.

    In the meantime, I got more or less used to the noise, but now I found out that there is apparantly an BIOS update available for my machine. When I go to SONY support homepage and type in my model number, it shows me an BIOS update from 19/01/2011 which pretends to help with the heat control. Unfortunately when I download the file and run it, it produces an error message saying that my device is "not supported"?! As I said, I specifically entered my model number on the website and I also run Win7 64 bit, so it should definately be the correct file.

    does anyone know what's the matter with that? Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere but I could not find the respective thread.

    thanks for all information!

    brokaaa
     
    brokaaa, May 9, 2013
    #1
  2. ngvuanh

    ngvuanh Notebook Deity

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    You should go to bios to confirm what model number you have.
    When you run bios update, what step it said your device is "not supported"?
     
    ngvuanh, May 11, 2013
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  3. brokaaa

    brokaaa Newbie

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    BIOS shows me the correct machine number (VPCF11C5E). BIOS version is R0300Y6.

    The BIOS update package from the SONY website claims to update BIOS to version R0280Y6. To me, that does not look like an update somehow (since "0300Y" appers already "higher" than "0280Y") - but what do I know.
    I could find no information about the build date of the current BIOS (there's very little information and options anyway).

    Anyway, this is what I do:

    1. download the update package and run it ("EP0000241544.exe")

    2. a small window appears which is labeled VAIO BIOS UPDATE TOOL 1.2.0.04300 with some instructions (do not shut down computer during update etc.), the BIOS update information (see above) and an "update" button

    3. When I hit the update button, an extra check appears, asking againg if I REALLY want to update BIOS

    4. When I click "ok", it gives me immediatly an error box (labeled WBFLASH), saying "This computer is not supported"

    edit: think I found the answer: I had the machine sent to support in October 2011 (for other reasons). On the technical support information they state that they have updated the BIOS, so it should be the newer version already (that one from January 2011). Still, the message from the BIOS update tool makes not much sense (since the tool can apparently not tell me whether it is REALLY the newest version available and the version numbers don't match), but well...

    so I have had the new BIOS for over 2 years now without having noticed...I think it's fair to say that the "updated" BIOS did not really make a difference whatsoever on the fan/heat issue ;-)
     
    brokaaa, May 11, 2013
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