I've got an old VAIO S170 that I'm interested in upgrading. However, information has been hard to come by (many dead links since this is an old unit).

Hoping you guys can help with information regarding what I'd like to do:

1) Processor Upgrade
I've been told that I can upgrade my processor to a Pentium M 770. My question is, is this possible? The 770 I believe has a 533MHz FSB, while my current processor has a 400MHz FSB. Will the 770 work at 400MHz FSB? 533MHz? Is there a better processor you guys would recommend?

2) RAM Upgrade
I believe that the maximum amount of RAM that the system will support is 2GB. However, the only 1GB sticks of PC2700 172 pin RAM are pretty pricey. Where can I get cheaper RAM? Can I use newer/cheaper RAM?

3) HD Upgrade
I believe my model is one of the older units with an IDE HD interface. What's the fastest/best HD I can install?

4) Port Replicator/Docking Station
Anyone know the model # of the docking station/port replicator for this unit?

Thanks!

Ok, so here we go...

2 months ago, I had the Mobo replaced in my Vaio VGN-AR150G. Worked fine when I got it back. ;)

I am now selling this Laptop and offered to the new buyer (a friend) that if he picked up Win 7, I would install it. After install, sound failed to come from the speakers. Turns out that you need the Sony Shared Library to tell the OS how to use the speakers and the buttons on the chassis. :bored:

So I then tried to update the drivers with the Vista Home Premium drivers from Sony's website. None of the patches would apply and all gave me the messages that I had the wrong model. As did my factory restore discs. Lo and behold I figured out why. :censored:

While changing the mobo, the computer shop (which is now 2000 miles away) failed to put my serial number in the Bios (which currently has it as 1234567890..... Sony's patches and Restore Discs all rely on this number to tell them what model number the laptop is. :eek:

So, I need to update my Phoenix stock bios with my serial number. I downloaded the Phoenix Bios Editor to do this but it needs a .rom file to edit. It does not backup the bios so you can edit it. Also, I could not find a copy of the r0130j6 Bios that is not installed via an .exe file. :'(

So i am looking for a program to backup my Bios in a .rom or .wph file FROM WINDOWS (as I dont know how to do it from a flash drive and have no floppy). I will then edit the strings to include my original serial number and uuid. Then I will install the proper patches to return full functionality to the laptop and ship it to the new owner. Thank you for any help you can give me.

imho :wavey:

Hi
I have an AR51su and when upgraded to windows 7 I no longer able to play BluRay films.
I have bought Corel BluRay player which opens the program and plays the sound track only no Picture.
When I go to Device manager the drive is shown as a MATSHITA BD-MLT UJ-220 ATA Device
under manufacturer it is shown as the standard CD-ROM drive
can anyone help with advice please
Sony are not interested in supporting this

Thanks for any help
this is my last resort

Mark

From GeezerJT:

"I have just upgraded to Win 7 and cant get Aero to work obviously my drivers are need updating but i cant get Nvidea or Integrated Intel Media Accelerator X3100 to work. Am i best using the X3100?"

In order to upgrage from 512 MB to 1 GB RAM, would I simply add another 512 MB module (is there an extra slot for it), or are there a 1 GB modules available? Maybe dumb question - I understand on PCs you woulod just add another mem chip) but I'm unfamiliar with the insides of many laptops and considering their space saving design.

I've been directed to the online manuals that some have posted, but there doesn't seem to be any for this older ultra-lite. I love these little things and I'd like to keep one or two up and running with new parts or used from extra expired laptops.

Thanks

i have a VAIO VGN-FZ160E. when i tried to recover my laptop to its factory settings by using the recovery drive, i changed the active partition of my hard drive from "C" to "Recovery partition" by means of "Acronis Disc Director" software and then reboot it (because this method was helpful in recovering my old Dell laptop). after that an error appears : "can't find ntldr , press ctrl+alt+del to restart". i try to install new OS (XP,Vista and even 7) but none of them could see my hard drive. i even used some bootable softwares like "Partition Magic" to undo this but it can not find my hard drive either.

I've been all over the internet, gathering whatever info I can find, but I'm stuck. It's a Vaio PCG-FRV26 (PCG-9J5L) that just shut down one day, had a very slight 'burn' smell & will not power on, no lights. Opening it up it was full of dust balls & the fans were filthy - cleaned it real nice with vacuum & compressed air. I replaced the power jack, had it tested & there definitely is power to the board, also had the AC adapter/charger tested & it's good. I also played with various combinations of RAM chips in & out, re-set button, on/off with adapter & battery in/out combinations, holding on button variations etc. Still no lights or power. I've opened it up 3 times now, everything looks new/intact/great.

I have a PDF manual for this series, but cannot find the CMOS battery in the laptop! I don't think the manual is that great, not enough info, detailed explode schematic is not enough, tricky to follow, says where the CMOS/RTC bat is but I can't find it. Is it under the motherboard? do I have to remove MB?

If laptop did overheat - can I re-set it? Can anyone give me some info that could tell me what to do next? or what it could possibly be at this point? Thank you so much.

Hey, everyone!

I have received a Sony Vaio VGN-NR498E laptop from my brother. The history of this laptop is that it had a mechanically dead hard drive in it. So, I have put in a new hard drive and a few months later, I have purchased and installed Windows 7 Pro on it (so far, it's been the best Windows I have seen, and it has been running rather smooth).

Anyways, I have recently moved out from my dad's place and I am finally back out on my own. I have very little furniture, and I am getting what ever I can once every few months. Along with the furniture, I am thinking about purchasing a TV (don't have one at the moment)... a 32" to 37" HDTV with VGA and HDMI input. I would like to buy one so I can watch the news and have NetFlix and Hulu stream to it through my laptop. In addition to the TV, I would like to buy a wireless keyboard and mouse so I can put my laptop next to the TV and be able to sit on the couch and work on my laptop still.

Now, I know that you can connect it through the VGA port, but I am concerned about not being able to set the resolution high enough for the HDTV. Currently, the largest monitor that I have is a 15" monitor that can only go to 1024x768 and I don't have anything larger than that to test with.

I would imagine that I can go to 1920x1080 (for 1080p) with the Sony Vaio, but I would like to see if somebody already did it.

Is there anybody out there that have their Vaio connected to a HDTV? If so, how is the quality of the video? Overall, would be it worth it to purchase a HDTV for my laptop?

I know that this sounds like a noobie question, but I just want to make sure that this purchase would be well worth it, and I would like to set a priority on this purchase. Thanks!

I'm trying to overclock my vaio FW45GJ . So far gpu was quiete OC'd from 450/600---> 730/850 . Now it's time for the cpu . I have experience with this . My previouse notebook worked overclocked 2 years non-stop with no problems. I still have it . To find pll on Vaio i'm not planing by opening the notebook this time . Does anyone have some pll's for vaio's .Has anyone opened their vaio's and in some case it's still opened could you search for that magical numbers ? :D

Thanks

I have a PCG-TR3A with a smashed hinge on the screen case side. It works well, just don't dare transport it.

I'm using a PCG-TR3AP which I found used, works well, but the "W" key sticks and doesn't record sometimes. Not sure if it needs the whole new key board or if I can refit the key back in place.

I think the hard drive is bad on another sony PCG-TR1MP - and I'm trying to figure out if I should 1) use parts from the TR1MP (keyboard, screen case) for the other two, or 2) use parts from the PCG-TR3A (hard drive and keyboard) for the other two.

I've never done this before, only dismantled the TR3A to tighten the hinge screws. Would appreciate any advice on how to proceed.

The reason I believe the TR1MP hard drive is bad is the repeated crashes increasing to a point where it is just non functional, now a short blue screen only for a few seconds then blank, when trying to start and the reason I suspect I should just abandon the hd. Following are some errors I was able to copy in the Event Viewer before it became non-functional.
Under System there are two errors:

Error code 1000008e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 8054c269, parameter3 ed92b974, parameter4 00000000.
Error code 1000008e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 f0000fff, parameter3 ed78ec68, parameter4 00000000.

Faulting application vzaccess manager.exe, version 6.6.7.2017, faulting module unknown, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x71006a55.
Faulting application ctfmon.exe, version 5.1.2600.5512, faulting module msutb.dll, version 5.1.2600.5512, fault address 0x0001cca7.
Faulting application iexplore.exe, version 7.0.6000.20815, faulting module flash10a.ocx, version 10.0.12.36, fault address 0x000cdedf.

I have an old Sony PCG-K23 and it is horribly slow. I just installed Windows last and it copied the files quickly, but to expand the files it took around 4 hours. The fan speed up to ridiculous speeds throughout the install. After the install I rebooted and it took like 20 minutes to load Windows and when it finally loaded it wouldn't do anything. I know there is a problem with the hardware but I am not sure what that problem is. I just bought a new harddrive for it because the old one was corrupt and I ran many RAM tests on it. I am thinking its the motherboard. I can however load up live OS's fine and they operate normally. The problem seems to occur with the communication from the harddrive to the CPU. Can this be fixed or do I need to get a new motherboard?

Thanks.

I have had my Vaio laptop (FE-31M) for some time and over the years it has become sluggish, i used the system recovery disk to format my drive. It now ask's to use the applications disk to install all the apps that were originally on the laptop but i never use them, they are just a waste to me so i decided not to use the disk and not to install any software.

Is it ok to do that? They do say that your machine could have problems if you dont recover the applications but everything seems to be working ok.....except the fan, it no longer works now im not sure if its missing a piece of sony software or if it is just dead.

Does anybody know if the fan has stopped becuase i didnt recover the applications?

Thanks

I need a new keyboard.
My Part # is 147758021.
My model # is N860-7619-T101.

I found a kb with the same Part number but a different model # (N860-7618-T001). Is it just the part# that is important or must I have the same model # also. Thanks.

Hi, I have a a vaio nw series with a blu-ray player and i want to upgrade a couple of things on my computer. I would like to upgrade the memory on my laptop to 8Gb and the processor to a t9900. On the sony website it says the laptop can max at 2.2ghz and 4gb but the chipset in the laptop can support the processor i want and the 8gb.

Also has anyone put a ssd in their sony laptop. Is it worth the cost.