SonyVaioVGN-SZ740N

I'm trying to collect the useful information about setting up a more or less properly running Xubuntu 8.04 on a Sony Vaio sz740n laptop. It might take time Smile :)

Sorry for my English, it's not my native language...

Sound

sudo mousepad /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

Add these lines to the end: 

alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
options snd-card-0 index=0
options snd-hda-intel model=vaio

I had to reboot as restarting only alsa didn't work.

from: http://doube.org/hardy-vaio.html#audio

Suspend

I've found a perfect howto here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=5706726 thanks to dwitkin (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=546810)

open a terminal and: 

cd /etc/default
sudo cp acpi-support acpi-support.bak
gksudo mousepad acpi-support

delete everything in the file and paste this instead: 

# Date: 2008-08-02
# File: /etc/default/acpi-support
#
# This file / configuration seems to allow suspend and resume on my Sony
# FZ160E laptop. Note that I loaded an ATI display driver package
# called "xorg-driver-fglrx" using the Ubuntu repositories and the
# Synaptic package manager. When I press the power button and then
# choose the suspend option, it takes a few seconds but works.
# Then, I press the power button again and it resumes to a password
# protected screen saver.
#
# Comment the next line to disable ACPI suspend to RAM
ACPI_SLEEP=true

# Comment the next line to disable suspend to disk
ACPI_HIBERNATE=true

# Change the following to "standby" to use ACPI S1 sleep, rather than S3.
# This will save less power, but may work on more machines
ACPI_SLEEP_MODE=mem

# Add modules to this list to have them removed before suspend and reloaded
# on resume. An example would be MODULES="em8300 yenta_socket"
#
# Note that network cards and USB controllers will automatically be unloaded 
# unless they're listed in MODULES_WHITELIST
MODULES="uvcvideo iwlagn"

# Add modules to this list to leave them in the kernel over suspend/resume
# Changed on 2008-08-02 from ""
MODULES_WHITELIST="fglrx"

# Should we save and restore state using the VESA BIOS Extensions?
# Changed on 2008-08-02 from true
SAVE_VBE_STATE=false

# The file that we use to save the vbestate
VBESTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/vbestate

# Should we attempt to warm-boot the video hardware on resume?
# Changed on 2008-08-02 from true
POST_VIDEO=false

# Save and restore video state?
# SAVE_VIDEO_PCI_STATE=true

# Should we switch the screen off with DPMS on suspend?
# Changed on 2008-08-02 from true
USE_DPMS=false

# Use Radeontool to switch the screen off? Seems to be needed on some machines
# RADEON_LIGHT=true

# Uncomment the next line to switch away from X and back again after resume.
# This is needed for some hardware, but should be unnecessary on most.
# DOUBLE_CONSOLE_SWITCH=true

# Set the following to "platform" if you want to use ACPI to shut down
# your machine on hibernation
HIBERNATE_MODE=shutdown

# Comment this out to disable screen locking on resume
LOCK_SCREEN=true

# Uncomment this line to have DMA disabled before suspend and reenabled
# afterwards
# DISABLE_DMA=true

# Uncomment this line to attempt to reset the drive on resume. This seems
# to be needed for some Sonys
# Changed on 2008-08-02 from commented out
RESET_DRIVE=true

# Add services to this list to stop them before suspend and restart them in 
# the resume process.
STOP_SERVICES=""

# Restart Infra Red services on resume - off by default as it crashes some
# machines
RESTART_IRDA=false

# Switch to laptop-mode on battery power - off by default as it causes odd
# hangs on some machines
ENABLE_LAPTOP_MODE=false

# Spindown time on battery
SPINDOWN_TIME=12

Reboot.

Both going to sleep mode and waking up take about 10 sec. if it takes more, than you can try what's below at the hibernation part, modifying the interfaces file...

One small problem I realized so far: the bluetooth led is lighting after resume.

NOTE: I've only tested it with my nvidia VGA card, i don't know if it's working with the intel's. As soon as it's tested i'll write it here.

Hibernate

Hibernate works with nvidia VGA card. If you think it takes too long, you can try to put a # in front of the "auto eth0" in the "/etc/network/interfaces": 

sudo mousepad /etc/network/interfaces

change this line: 

auto eth0

to this: 

#auto eth0

Webcam

Install the version which fits to your kernel version nr. (you can check it in terminal easily: uname -a) http://www.arakhne.org/spip.php?article50

Project page: http://wiki.mediati.org/R5u870

You can test/record easily with xawtv.

Automatic VGA card detection

I use the intel driver included in ubuntu and i use the restricted driver of nvidia from the repository. I also have tried to get the nvidia driver from Envy-ng working. it was working but switching from and to the intel's couldn't work that way, so i decided to stay with the driver in the repo.

first we have to create a script which copies the correct xorg.conf file to it's place. 

sudo nano /etc/init.d/xorg_conf

copy paste this(ctrl-c ; shift-insert): 

VIDEO=`/usr/bin/lspci |grep -c nVidia`

if [ "$VIDEO" = 1 ]; then
cp -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf.speed /etc/X11/xorg.conf
echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/sony-laptop/bluetoothpower
else
cp -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf.stamina /etc/X11/xorg.conf
echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/sony-laptop/bluetoothpower
fi

*NOTE: the echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/sony-laptop/bluetoothpower line is only there to switch off the bluetooth led, you can remove (or simply put a # in front of them) that line from both part if you want to use bluetooth...

save and exit (ctrl-x)

now we have to make it executable: 

sudo chmod +x /etc/init.d/xorg_conf

and to link it to the right place so it's running when system starts: 

sudo ln -s /etc/init.d/xorg_conf /etc/rc2.d/S12xorg_conf

i use these two xorg.conf file:

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.speed 

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Generic Keyboard"
        Driver          "kbd"
        Option          "XkbRules"      "xorg"
        Option          "XkbModel"      "pc105"
        Option          "XkbLayout"     "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
        Driver          "mouse"
        Option          "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Synaptics Touchpad"
        Driver          "synaptics"
        Option          "SendCoreEvents"        "true"
        Option          "Device"        "/dev/psaux"
        Option          "Protocol"      "auto-dev"
        Option          "HorizEdgeScroll"       "0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "Configured Video Device"
        Driver          "nvidia"
        Option          "NoLogo"        "True"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Default Screen"
        Monitor         "Configured Monitor"
        Device          "Configured Video Device"
        Defaultdepth    24
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier      "Default Layout"
  screen "Default Screen"
        Inputdevice     "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection
Section "Module"
        Load            "glx"
EndSection

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.stamina 

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Generic Keyboard"
        Driver          "kbd"
        Option          "XkbRules"      "xorg"
        Option          "XkbModel"      "pc105"
        Option          "XkbLayout"     "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
        Driver          "mouse"
        Option          "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Synaptics Touchpad"
        Driver          "synaptics"
        Option          "SendCoreEvents"        "true"
        Option          "Device"                "/dev/psaux"
        Option          "Protocol"              "auto-dev"
        Option          "HorizEdgeScroll"       "0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Default Screen"
        Monitor         "Configured Monitor"
        Device          "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier      "Default Layout"
        Screen          "Default Screen"
        InputDevice     "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

Useful Links

Similar hw: http://doube.org/hardy-vaio.html http://www.linux.it/~malattia/wiki/index.php/Vaio_VGN-SZ72B http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/sony.html

linux forum on sony's page, fn-keys workaround http://club.vaio.sony.eu/clubvaio/gb/en/forum/viewthread?thread=54628&offset=20

To be continued...

LaptopTestingTeam/SonyVaioVGN-SZ740N (last edited 2008-11-03 22:46:35 by catv-89-134-122-111)