Vaio VGN-FE31M problems and stuff...

[bacman.tuga]

about 2 and half years ago i bought this vgn-fe31m, nice computer with decent screen etc etc... but i've stubbled across some problems and i'd like to have my questions adressed.

1st - Will sony ever update the bios for this model in order for it to map the 4GB max RAM that the hardware is capable of handling (specialy usefull with 64 bit systems), some brands like asus already taken this step.

2nd - will sony ever suport 64 bit systems? nvidia suports and has drivers for the 7600 GO that equips these models. Sony does not suply this driver so users are limited to 800x600 and no openGL. (yes there is a fix a hack to the inf file etc etc and it works but thats no answer).

3rd - when will bios be uptaded in order to support boot from USB drive (pending for 2 years)?

From what i've read online and after checking the specs its obvious these problems all reside in the bios, and that changing some code would solve them all and make some older costumers happier.

Anyway I would like answers to all 3 questions
Yours Trully

[Blencogo]

Hi bacman.tuga and welcome to Club Vaio.

This is a user forum. Sony do not reply to posts here - you will need to contact the official Vaio-Link Support by clicking on 'Support' at the top of this page, logging in with your model type and then clicking on 'Get in Touch'

You can approach them with your questions but the answer is almost certain to be:

1. Not for your model
2. Not for your model
3. Not for your model

Support for all three of these things will almost certainly never be forthcoming for your model although Sony do support 4GB on most recent models and do support 64-bit on several newer models.

There are some 64-bit drivers supplied for the FE41 series but nothing earlier which may work on your model.

http://www.vaio-link.com/os/vista/64bit/

What exactly do you want to boot from USB?

[bacman.tuga]

1st thank you for a swift reply :).

about the USB boot, well beginning with windows, going trough minix and ending in linux, I'd love to boot anything from any type of USB drive like normal computers do (at least those that are not more than 8 years old and still i have a year 2000 toshiba that has no USB2 but you can still boot from USB)

About everything else... one feels a bit defrauded by sony. Its not hard to rewrite a few drivers / bios, or even take the "higher route" and make it open source after some time.

I bought this computer because of all the hardware it had in it (specially the LCD)... I never thought I'd find limitations on the software side.

Oh well 3Gb will be enough for some time still

Well it's also a bit "weak" to try to force a costumer to upgrade his hardware by making software limitations. I can assure you that Sony has just lost a costumer and since many of my friends and work colleagues usually ask me for advice when buying computers... I think they lost more than one

[slnko111]

I have the same problem ... I have new windows7 64bit and it works ... but I miss hot keys for laptop buttons and  bios for 4 gb memory support. I can't change brightness, volume, and using 3gb ram.

Maybe new bios from another model with Mobile Intel 945PM Express Chipset can help to get usable 4gb and not only 3 gb I see now.

Sony does no support for older models with windows7 ...

Shame on them... sony recommends windows7

I'll be very pleased with an answer 😉