Thread: Sony Vaio Z (VGN-Z / Z11)

hello ubuntu folk

linux friendly toshiba laptop of old died last month , has been replaced hurriedly acquired circa 2009 sony vaio z (vgn-z21wn) picked ebay.

news (despite old reports steer clear read once late) ubuntu 11.10 usable hardware right out of box. critical works. there rough edges (as happens, it’s rough ms windows, in different places).

there’s linux information older vaio zs mine on web, gives hope, info seems out of date , i’ve run trouble , messes trying follow it.

lovely thing working , i'd hugely appreciate help. i’ve used ubuntu main (only) os years now, still consider myself total linux noob.

there 4 areas of contention.

video output
there 2 (count ‘em) graphics chips inside laptop: 1 intel , descrete graphics chip nvidia. there's physical stamina/speed switch swap between them. has ubuntu thoroughly confused. switch nothing. nvidia card recognised , i’m prompted , can download proprietary drivers - nvidia server settings tool complains they’re not being used. screen output seems come intel chip. system info reports graphics hardware unknown.


audio output [solved]
audio output - audio hardware needs switching off , on again via sound settings tool after headphones have been inserted - otherwise output level ‘capped’ @ quiet headphones, regardless of volume controls.

keyboard special keys
there 3 ‘special’ multimedia keys on keyboard.

there mac style eject button opening dvd drive - works when disc inserted. nice able use open empty drive insert disc too.

there 2 special keys labled s1 , s2 - nice able assign use these.

trackpad
track pad seems bit flaky in ubuntu. double tap , hold works grab , move windows , icons or adjust size controls - doesn't. physical buttons work though.

okay, managed make little bit of progress , after umpteen dead ends found fix quiet headphone issue.

solution open alsa configuration file: alsa-base.conf in text editor (open terminal [ctrl+alt+t] , enter gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf) , add following line @ end of it....

code:

options snd-hda-intel model=sony-assamd

...then save , reboot.

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