Support for Linux

[wilporta]

I work in the IT industry and - like many people - I prefer to have both Windows and UNIX operating systems on a laptop. The Sony Vaio is a very nice laptop, but it there are a number of problems relating to Linux support. The main one which makes the laptop unpleasant to use is that the brightness of the monitor cannot be controlled. The hot keys do not work and there are a number of posts to NVIDIA, who make the GeForce card, Suse and Ubuntu relating to difficulties in getting the brightness control to work. I am surprised that Sony do not work with NVIDIA and Linux groups to resolve this problem. I am sure that a better support for Linux would be cheap to provide and would result in more sales.

There seem to be a number of half-hearted attempts to fix this problem with sonypi and spicctrl (which don't seem to work and which may apparently damage the laptop hardware). This is unsatisfactory.

I would be interested in knowing whether Sony's plans to support Linux better. Can I look forward to a time when I can use my Sony Vaio in Linux without wearing sunglasses?

Surely all that Sony and NVIDIA need to do is to make the interface specifications available to the Linux community so that these people can include the support? And this information must already exist because the brightness control works under other platforms like Windows Vista. What are the problems in making this information more widely available?

I quite understand that Sony recommend that Windows Vista be used as an operating system for the VGN-NR21Z. However, it would be useful if basic support were provided for other common platforms as well.

[Sealbhach]

Hi,

I recently installed Ubuntu 8.04 on my Vaio as a dual boot with Vista.

I've got a VGN-FZ21M. Most things work OK, even my Skypephone.

However, most Vaio users can't get the webcam working.

I would ask Sony to do all they can to support Linux from now on - Linux is only going to get bigger with Dell and Asus And Acer shipping products already preloaded with Linux - all these new low-cost laptops (netbooks) are going to be Linux only.

So come on Sony, don't miss out!


.

[margheor]

nielsslot, I also bought a FZ38M, but am having trouble installing Ubuntu 8.04. I was wondering if you had any problems during installation as I can't get my Grub to boot. I didn't have any trouble with Fedora but Ubuntu doesn't want to boot up? Any advice??
Incidentally my MotionEye doesn't work on fedora either, wondering how soon Sony might release the driver or allow programmers the code to do so themselves.

[nielsslot]

nielsslot, I also bought a FZ38M, but am having trouble installing Ubuntu 8.04. I was wondering if you had any problems during installation as I can't get my Grub to boot. I didn't have any trouble with Fedora but Ubuntu doesn't want to boot up? Any advice??
Incidentally my MotionEye doesn't work on fedora either, wondering how soon Sony might release the driver or allow programmers the code to do so themselves.

Hi martheman,

I haven't had any problems. This could be because I only installed Ubuntu through Wubi. I want to get it running properly before I install it on a dedicated partition. With Wubi everything works fine. Did you get any error messages from Grub?

[benste]

Hy, nice to hear that there are some more users here in the post - If someone has problems with his Vaio in special postition, I would like to pleaseantly ask you - make a new thread or better - use ubuntuforums.org.

Motion Eye camera isn't a very big problem at all, several laptops works fine when using V4L - I'm not quiet shure what your problem is, but ask it in Ubuntuforum please.

wondering how soon Sony might release the driver or allow programmers the code to do so themselves.

- I'm in contact with them, but it's quiet unsure how they will decide - react. But I also hope for my FN Keys 🙂 that they'll publish it asap

[mr.nicis]

bab

Hello Sony folks,

please disclose the registers used by the Vaio Event Manager so that Linux modules can be completed, especially for the brightness control.

We would be very grateful because we love our Vaio and would like to use it with our favourite OS.

Kind Regards,
Claudio.

Hi claudio are you italian? if is true please post also in italian board
beast regards

Fabrizio (aka mr.nicis)

[benste]

wow this theme got hot 🙂
I didn't think that they're so many users who are also using linux.

Best wishes , benste

[sittingpenguin]

@Fabrizio
yes I am Italian unfortunately, is there a thread already running to which you would like me to participate?

@Benste
so has this gotten hot enough that we get the registers?

[mr.nicis]

@Fabrizio
yes I am Italian unfortunately, is there a thread already running to which you would like me to participate?

Hi Claudio, is this one
http://club.vaio.sony.eu/clubvaio/gb/en/forum/viewthread?thread=54850
tankyou in advance
Ciao

[sittingpenguin]

Well I have installed Vista on my VGN-FZ, what makes the special keys work is a thing called "Vaio Shared Library", without that bit actually less stuff works in Vista than in Linux. Upon the shared library sits the "Vaio Event Service", which actually controls the keys, but it won't work without the library, so I believe there is where the registry keys are.

Anyway installing Vista clean (with a Vista install DVD, not a Sony recovery disc) is a major pain where the sun never shines, worse than Linux; this laptop is so dependent upon Sony specific software that I came to think that it's really not the right choice to run Linux, or any OS other than Vista 32 bit for that matter, in fact installing Vista 64 bit you end up with the same functionality (or lack thereof) as with Linux.

[benste]

Sounds important, I didn't test it,
Sony may concern that customers more and more love open products.
And it's a big shame if even windows clean install doesn't work properly 🙂