Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

Inxsible · 2008-09-15 19:08:18

Does anyone have any Arch experience on a Vaio?

I was planning on buying a new laptop and this is one of the machines which has pretty much everything that I need (After a little bit of customization)

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto … ryId=16154

How well (or otherwise) will Arch perform on this machine? Or rather, how will this machine perform for Arch?

Thanks in advance.

Cerebral · 2008-09-15 19:28:14

Extra details provided by Inxsible in another thread, for those interested in helping:

Inxsible wrote:

I am ok with the Memory Stick slot not working.. I can always use a cheap USB connector. If the webcam works -- Great ! - if not - I don't really care. Also I am not going to get the Blu-ray drive - so that's moot as well.
Apart from that..I would hope everything would work. What's the deal with Suspend and Hibernate on Vaios? Again, if hibernate doesn't work- i can live with it.
The only issue with it is that there is no option for a nVidia graphics.
The choices available are:
# Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD with Intel® Clear Video Technology
# ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3470 with 256MB vRAM
I would really appreciate it if someone could clarify on the above options. I normally use the laptop to do my programming and maybe watch an occasional movie or two while on the road. I do play games -- but I am not an extreme gamer.

Thanks in advance.

.:B:. · 2008-09-15 19:29:24

I have a Vaio - a Vaio TZ. Probably not the one you're after .

Have you consulted google on the particular model you are looking at? A 'Vaio' is just like 'a beamer', there's tons of models. People having Vaio model XYZ might be having a perfect install while people using Vaio YXZ might be having a lot of trouble.

Just my 0,02 €.

Edit: thanks Cerebral I was about to ask that too but people already think i'm bullying . Congrats on the quadruple post and triple lock

Last edited by B (2008-09-15 19:30:34)

Inxsible · 2008-09-15 19:57:07

That's funny !!

I "edited" my original post...

how did it create multiple threads??

Sorry in anycase !

Inxsible · 2008-09-15 19:58:28

B wrote:

I have a Vaio - a Vaio TZ. Probably not the one you're after .
Have you consulted google on the particular model you are looking at? A 'Vaio' is just like 'a beamer', there's tons of models. People having Vaio model XYZ might be having a perfect install while people using Vaio YXZ might be having a lot of trouble.
Just my 0,02 €.
Edit: thanks Cerebral I was about to ask that too but people already think i'm bullying . Congrats on the quadruple post and triple lock

Its an Vaio FW series. I also provided a link to it.

.:B:. · 2008-09-15 20:09:24

It would have helped if you included specs and or the model name in your post instead of linking it .

* B tries not to make a case for comprehensive posts that go easy on those who are prepared to offer help

This looks like a fairly new model to me.

Still - how about googling? Arch will support everything that's supported pretty much in the vanilla kernel (2.6.26.x as we speak).

Inxsible · 2008-09-15 20:14:12

Like any responsible forum member, I know what Google is for and I did try it before posting.

Also, as you can see from the search link you provided B, that not many links talk about FW series and Arch per se. I have gone thru a few of those links with Ubuntu and/or mint installed.

The primary reason for me posting here was to find out how the machine was compatible for Arch.

The only specification link I could have given is this

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto … ryId=16154

However, like I mentioned in my first post, I am customizing it a bit -- and I cannot show you that - because the website uses scripting (most likely JavaScript) and you would not see the choices that I had selected.

Last edited by Inxsible (2008-09-15 22:00:52)

Lord Illidan · 2008-09-15 20:55:23

I and my Dad use almost identical Sony Vaio VGN-FEs, he uses Ubuntu Hardy, I use Arch Linux on mine.
Both work very well. Suspend/Hibernate doesn't work on either one using Ubuntu, but it does on mine, with Arch. Webcam works, memory stick didn't work the one time I tried it, but I never tried very hard to get it working, either. Wifi works fine, too. Good luck!

Inxsible · 2008-09-15 21:57:57

Lord Illidan wrote:

I and my Dad use almost identical Sony Vaio VGN-FEs, he uses Ubuntu Hardy, I use Arch Linux on mine.
Both work very well. Suspend/Hibernate doesn't work on either one using Ubuntu, but it does on mine, with Arch. Webcam works, memory stick didn't work the one time I tried it, but I never tried very hard to get it working, either. Wifi works fine, too. Good luck!

Well that's nice to know !!

Thanks Lord Illidan.

Can you tell me what graphics card you have on your machine? Ubuntu has always had problems with ATI cards. Is that also the case with Arch?

and how about the Intel card...since I don't game too much..will it be able to handle a few older games at least? I sometimes like to install and play Commandos and Medal of Honor for a few days at a stretch...then I get bored and not touch it in months. These games are quite old as well, so I am hoping the Intel card could ahndle it. Or if the ATI card doesn't give too much trouble in Arch....I might just get that.

Last edited by Inxsible (2008-09-15 22:05:12)

Lord Illidan · 2008-09-15 22:14:57

Inxsible wrote:

Lord Illidan wrote:
I and my Dad use almost identical Sony Vaio VGN-FEs, he uses Ubuntu Hardy, I use Arch Linux on mine.
Both work very well. Suspend/Hibernate doesn't work on either one using Ubuntu, but it does on mine, with Arch. Webcam works, memory stick didn't work the one time I tried it, but I never tried very hard to get it working, either. Wifi works fine, too. Good luck!
Well that's nice to know !!
Thanks Lord Illidan.
Can you tell me what graphics card you have on your machine? Ubuntu has always had problems with ATI cards. Is that also the case with Arch?
and how about the Intel card...since I don't game too much..will it be able to handle a few older games at least? I sometimes like to install and play Commandos and Medal of Honor for a few days at a stretch...then I get bored and not touch it in months. These games are quite old as well, so I am hoping the Intel card could ahndle it. Or if the ATI card doesn't give too much trouble in Arch....I might just get that.

Ah, my video card is an Nvidia 7400 Go. I'm not up to date on Intel/Ati performance though, can't help out there. But ATI support is said to be improving, right?

Inxsible · 2008-09-15 23:51:28

Lord Illidan wrote:

Ah, my video card is an Nvidia 7400 Go. I'm not up to date on Intel/Ati performance though, can't help out there. But ATI support is said to be improving, right?

Yes, they say it is. But I have also never used ATI cards until now because of that issue and so I was unsure of how good the support is.

As long as it can handle twin view (as in nVidia), dual monitors, and some basic games - i think I would be ok with it.

I have also emailed Sony to ask them if they would allow an nVidia card in that machine -- but I highly doubt that I will get a positive response.

Lord Illidan · 2008-09-15 23:58:32

Perhaps you could shop around for a different laptop? Or are you captivated by that model? Personally, I've never had any probs with my Nvidia card.

.:B:. · 2008-09-16 00:09:45

AMD is betting hard on Linux for the moment. Radeonhd is promising, and the AMD in-house gfx Linux drivers are released more quickly and often than before, which means recent cards are supported quicker on Linux. AMD is really shaping up .

I haven't had any first-hand experiences with their chips recently (I am getting a Gigabyte 780GPM-based setup soon though, with onboard Radeon 3200 gfx), but a lot of people are positive about it. Phoronix has run some tests with the newest drivers lately, you might wanna check on that for details.

Last edited by B (2008-09-16 14:32:43)

Inxsible · 2008-09-16 00:25:47

Lord Illidan wrote:

Perhaps you could shop around for a different laptop? Or are you captivated by that model? Personally, I've never had any probs with my Nvidia card.

I could shop for a different one...but I had bought a HP laptop about 1.5 years back and it had motherboard issues as soon as the 1 year warranty got over. So I am keeping away from HP and Compaq as much as I can, although they are the cheapest on the market with the config I want.

Lenovo Thinkpads are just too expensive - and the Ideapad series is too heavy.

I am also currently looking at Toshibas - but again I have no idea how they will fare in Arch. I am trying to put in standard components in all the custom builds that I make - like Intel a/b/g/n, and nVidia cards (where available) ...but there are still some things that you cannot change - sound cards for example.

Dell gives those Sound Blaster cards - but there are always issues in Linux...Sony gives Dolby speakers but I am not sure if they work in Arch.

I did find a thread for FW series on notebookreview ..but they do not discuss it in terms of Linux...so I have asked a few questions there..hopefully they will be answered.

Inxsible · 2008-09-16 00:26:54

B wrote:

AMD is betting hard on Linux for the moment. Radeonhd is promising, and the AMD in-house gfx Linux drivers are released more quickly and often than before, which means recent cards are supported quicker on Linux. AMD is really shaping up .
I haven't had any first-hand experiences with their chips recently (I am getting a Gigaybite 780GPM-based setup soon though, with onboard Radeon 3200 gfx), but a lot of people are positive about it. Phoronix has run some tests with the newest drivers lately, you might wanna check on that for details.

I assume you mean ATI...

I hope that is the case and ATI is really shaping up. If so I might just pull the trigger on that machine ....

Misfit138 · 2008-09-16 00:58:09

Inxsible wrote:

I assume you mean ATI....

AMD owns ATi now.

Lord Illidan · 2008-09-17 13:56:07

Inxsible wrote:

Lord Illidan wrote:
Perhaps you could shop around for a different laptop? Or are you captivated by that model? Personally, I've never had any probs with my Nvidia card.
I could shop for a different one...but I had bought a HP laptop about 1.5 years back and it had motherboard issues as soon as the 1 year warranty got over. So I am keeping away from HP and Compaq as much as I can, although they are the cheapest on the market with the config I want.
Lenovo Thinkpads are just too expensive - and the Ideapad series is too heavy.
I am also currently looking at Toshibas - but again I have no idea how they will fare in Arch. I am trying to put in standard components in all the custom builds that I make - like Intel a/b/g/n, and nVidia cards (where available) ...but there are still some things that you cannot change - sound cards for example.
Dell gives those Sound Blaster cards - but there are always issues in Linux...Sony gives Dolby speakers but I am not sure if they work in Arch.
I did find a thread for FW series on notebookreview ..but they do not discuss it in terms of Linux...so I have asked a few questions there..hopefully they will be answered.

Try and get hda-intel soundcards where possible. I notice these usually work fine with Linux.

donpicoro · 2009-04-18 22:40:44

I had a HP laptop that just died. Simply the Motherboard passed out a few days after the one-year warranty was void.
Since that I hate HP laptops, I decide to go for a Sony-Vaio and I have my VGN-CR220E working like a charm. I installed it about a week ago and so far I have had no problems. I do not know if the memorystick and the SD card reader actually work. Because I haven't try them.

Good luck with that. Vaio Laptops ROCKS!!!

LeoSolaris · 2009-04-19 00:42:54

Well... I will start out with: I cannot help you at all with a VAIO laptop. never tried one with Linux.

What I will give you my two cents on is a Dell. My house has two Dell laptops because they have had some really good luck under Linux. Even the memory slot works. The only thing I haven't tested is the modem because I do not have dial up, nor do I know anyone with dial up.

I configured them both with nVidia cards because of the ATI support when I bought them was not so hot.

Since their partnership with Ubuntu they have improved their Linux hardware selection. The soundcard worked just fine in both the Inspiron and the XPS models. (The XPS is fairly new still, and the Inspiron cannot be configured with an nVidia card anymore)

Inxsible · 2009-04-19 00:49:26

Guys this thread is a few months old !!

I have long since given up on buying the Vaio I got two Thinkpads - used, but in pretty good condition- from my work place for $300 each. That was the primary reason for me to not spend close to 1200 on a new one. And the Thinkpads are T42/T43 which are not that old.

My company actually has this policy where we can buy the older generation laptops that have been in use. So I thought I'd take advantage of that. Currently we are using T61s ...so the T40 series were being phased out.

Cheers !!!

Last edited by Inxsible (2009-04-19 00:49:46)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-09-15 19:08:18

Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#2 2008-09-15 19:28:14

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#3 2008-09-15 19:29:24

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#4 2008-09-15 19:57:07

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#5 2008-09-15 19:58:28

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#6 2008-09-15 20:09:24

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#7 2008-09-15 20:14:12

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#8 2008-09-15 20:55:23

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#9 2008-09-15 21:57:57

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#10 2008-09-15 22:14:57

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#11 2008-09-15 23:51:28

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#12 2008-09-15 23:58:32

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#13 2008-09-16 00:09:45

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#14 2008-09-16 00:25:47

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#15 2008-09-16 00:26:54

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#16 2008-09-16 00:58:09

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#17 2008-09-17 13:56:07

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#18 2009-04-18 22:40:44

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#19 2009-04-19 00:42:54

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

#20 2009-04-19 00:49:26

Re: Any Arch experience on a Sony Vaio?

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