sony-vaio-z-series team mailing list archive

[Adam Hill <sidepipeuk@xxxxxxxxx>]

> I would like to help testing/programming. I have a new Vaio
> VPCZ12M9E. It has the smaller display at 1600x900 and a sligtly
> different CPU compared to the
> VPCZ12Z9E (http://www.sony.co.uk/product/vnp-z-series/vpcz12m9e-b).
> 
> My first problem however is installing Ubuntu 10.04 - 64 bit. Since the
> screen goes blank
> even before I get some sort of menu, how can I install the system.

	Actually on mine the Intel graphics chip worked fine when booting the 
10.04 live CD, though I was using Kubuntu. The boot menu etc. is a litttle 
different on Kubuntu vs Ubuntu, so you could try that. Alternatively, you 
could try installing in text mode uding the alternate install CD. If you want 
to still use the fake RAID and dual boot with Windows then that would be the 
way to go anyway ( or try the DVD. )

	If all of that fails, you may be able to boot using an older version ( 
maybe 8.10 ) and select speed mode, and reboot as soon as you can once the 
kernel starts to load. You'll then need to swap the CDs and make sure that the 
10.04 disk boots after the BIOS screen. The old kernel causes the BIOS to go 
in to static switching mode and should boot with only the NVidia chip enabled 
( you could try stamina instead, but if the above methods don't work then 
there may be some more fundamental compatibility issue with the intel chip in 
your version. )

	Once you have the system installed then you may have issues using the 
Intel card. I'm guessing that yours is still an Arrandale processor ( i.e. 
built in graphics on the processor ) and so in theory my kernel should work 
with it, though Aleix can't get it to work on the 1600x900 screen.

	Interestingly though, if I set my grub loader to 1600x900 then it still 
works ( and appears to set the right mode ) so it is a little bit strange - I 
am beginning to wonder if it might be the difference between Ubuntu and 
Kubuntu that is causing that too - so it is certainly worth trying with a 
Kubuntu disk.

	Its so annoying that such an excellent laptop is such a pain to get Linux 
running on at the mo :(. I'm sure as time goes on, solutions will be found as 
they were with the VGN-Zs.

Adam
 
> I tries intalling 9.10 -32 bit, which is possible using "safe graphics
> mode" from the boot menu. But since that menu never even appears I don't
> know how to proceeed. I am normally using Suse as my Linux distribution,
> which installs without problems (11.3 - 32bit at least) but still only
> working with vesa drivers.
> 
> So later on if I can get it working on Ubuntu I would like to try and
> make it work also on Suse 11.3.
> But for now my first challange is getting it to install Ubuntu 10.04 -
> 64 bit, so any help would be appreciated.
> 
> 
> -Martin Lütken
> C++ documentation: http://www.doxys.org
> 
> 
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