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Re: Update BIOS (only Linux installed)

 

Hi David,
to update BIOS you could use a bootable Windows Live on USB-stick.
Follow this url to see how :
http://www.anewmorning.com/2009/01/15/create-a-live-windows-usb-stick/

On the other note I had rather pitiful experience with Sony support
recently and I thought I should share.

After some 6 months of use, I managed to break the left mouse button on
the trackpad.
The front facia is made of carbon, but mouse buttons are not and
apparently they are weak and breakable, especially if one is letting
kids play arcade games.
In any case, as I thought it was still on warranty, I brought it back to
swiss sony center where I bought it (3.699CHF mind you).
So far my laptop is gone for over a month, as they had to send it to UK
for repairs. 
Sony Center refused to give me a replacement laptop for the repairs
period claiming Z-series is "not a professional series laptop". 
Now they called me and said Sony refuses to fix it on warranty and the
only way to repair it is by replacing the whole front panel, which would
cost me $550!
Last week I bought an Acer 1410 for around $500 (cheaper than sony
repair quote), it does most everything Z-series can do and runs Ubuntu
out of the box with everything supported. 
No NV9400m card, but than - I could never use it on Sony neither, batt
life at around 5 hours is more than I had with Z.
I do believe Sony repair prices are ridiculous, and unfortunately every
single sony laptop I bought for the past years had some problems.
I've been sony loyal since late 90's and I am pretty sure our relations
are now over.

Alexei.

On Wed, 2009-12-02 at 14:41 +0100, David Svanberg wrote:
> Hi, Sony has released a new BIOS which seems to, amongst others, make
> it possible to enable VT (R4041M3c).
> 
> I've also heard that a later BIOS could be good to have if one want to
> install Windows 7.
> 
> Now, the BIOS seems just to be released as an .EXE which isn't perfect
> for me since I've just got Linux (Ubuntu 9.04 64bits) installed at the
> moment.
> 
> I was thinking - could this BIOS update be executed within
> Crossover/Wine - but I have a vague sense that this might not be a
> good idea... I don't know why but it is something about these
> sandboxes that scares me. Or should I dare?
> 
> So - you hardcore hackers - how do I punch in the new BIOS upgrade?
> 
> Regards,
> David
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