Aug 172012
M8WX5V: Sony (notebook|laptop) PCG-884L probable-SN 28..59 public notes http://1.JotHere.com/3543#M8WX5V
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M31R7G:Definition
- M8VOWD: See the title for topic
- M8XUJA:Model
- M8XUAM: Unfortunately bottom has a model # which is valid but appears 2nd ary & is currently undocumented.
- M8XU8A: BIOS says: “PCG-GR390(UC)”; above keyboard says “PCG-GR390”
- M8WZ4B:Bottom says “Model PCG-884L”
- M8WZCG: Google Search
- M8WZ4K: Official info
- M8WZ4U: http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-find.pl?mdl=PCG884L
- M8WZ6A: Only has warranty, no software downloads nor even specs.; see snapshot (latest)
- M8X0GA: So, to the site survey form which pops up, complete it with answers these answers:
- 2of10 -“1: *Please rate the quality of information on this site.”
- 2of10 -“2: *Please rate the degree to which content on this site is up to date”
- 8of10 -“5: *Please rate the balance of graphics and text on this site.”
- 9of10 -“6: *Please rate the readability of the pages on this site.”
- 2of10 -“9: *What is your overall satisfaction with this site?”
- 2of10 -“10: *How well does this site meet your expectations?”
- 3of10 -“11: *How does this site compare to your idea of an ideal website?”
- 5of10 -“12: *How likely are you to recommend this site to someone else?”
- 2of10 -“13: *How likely are you to recommend Sony products and services to someone else?”
- 2of10 -“14: *How likely are you to purchase additional Sony products or services in the future?”
- 8of10 -“15: *How likely are you to return to this site the next time you have a question or problem with your Sony product?”
- “17: *What was the main reason for your visit today? [pick one]” “Drivers or Software”
- “17.2: *For which operating system? [pick one]” “Other[ Kubuntu,. which is a type of Ubuntu, which is a type of Linux]”
- “18: *What product category is the focus of your visit today?[ pick one]” “Computers & Tablets”
- “18.2: *What computer or tablet product are you visiting for today? [pick one]” “VAIO Laptop”
- “19: What is your model number?” “PCG-884L”
- “20: Please provide further detail about what you were looking for today.” quote: BIOS downloads&info for this older unit (since it runs Kubuntu seemingly fine&quite usefully), but the maker’s page http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-find.pl?mdl=PCG-884L lists nothing but a warranty, not even specs. Now really, how hard would it be to continue to list at least specs&downloads, esp when u’re the maker?? From this my 1st attempt to get computer support from Sony, I concluding (as I’ve suspected years ago for Sony CD players I had nightmare to repair) Sony makes a point to ANTI-support their products (as here DELETING web info) if discontinued, even if hosting it costs ~0 (as this) &the product continues to work & -probably to needlessly force customers to buy new -that’s unGreeen & destructive! So unless I see action to a *constructive* attitude, I certainly won’t be buying another Sony, esp computer, nor recommending others do so, starting w/, as part of my notes on this unit, posting this my survey completion on the public web http://1.JotHere.com/3543#M8X0GA .
- 8of10 -“21: *On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), please rate how much effort you had to put forth during your visit today?”
- “22: *Was our search function helpful today? [pick one]” “Yes[, it found you seemingly deleted your info.]”
- “23: *What type of content did you look at or use today? [pick at least 1]” “Drivers & Software”
- “24: Did you find what you needed today? [pick one]” “No”
- “24.1: Please tell us why…[pick all that apply]” “Content was missing“
- “24.2: What will you do next?[ pick one]” “”Browse the Internet for a solution”
- “25: How can we improve your website experience?” quote: Per my answer to Q20, as most makers seem to do, put-up and especially *keep-up* full web support for every product you’ve ever made, at least since you’re having a website.
- “26: What is your preferred method of getting help? [pick one]” “Manufacturer Support web site”
- “29: *How would you describe your attitude toward new technology? [pick one]” “Early adpoter”
- everything else I left blank as it was irrelevant or too-personal, unless it was required so then I answered (above) else put (where allowed) “I don’t know”.
- M8X3ZR: Successfully submitted.
- M8X0GA: So, to the site survey form which pops up, complete it with answers these answers:
- M8WZ6A: Only has warranty, no software downloads nor even specs.; see snapshot (latest)
- M8WZ4U: http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-find.pl?mdl=PCG884L
- M8XUP7: Hard-drive
- M8XUPY: Along side the battery. Remove 1 screw and it pulls straight out (pull reasonably hard)
- M8XURA: An IBM TravelStar 30.00GB 4200 RPM, IDE, Model IC25N030ATDA04-0, S/N: 64116214
- M8Y055: Does not power up it seems (at least connecting to external USB-to-IDE)
- M935OS: Especially since it’s old, can I reasonably & inexpensively substitute it with solid-state memory of some sort?
- M935QB: Well how fast does it transfer?
- M93568: A seller’s listing, title: “IBM 30GB 4200 IC25N030ATDA04-0 IDE/ATA 2E283Laptop 2.5″ HDD Hard Drive 977”
- M93574: ~5min ago, found 1st (absolutely unbelievably) via Google Search(IDE 4200 MB/s)
- M935CN: Must be because my ~1st prior search was for almost identical (but wrong) PN: Google Search(IC25N030ATD04) (missing final “A”) so Google Search put the similar part # first.
- M935D7: Says it operates at “Drive Read/Write: 100 MB/s” (this is likely the interface max speed “Ultra-DMA 100 MB/s”) and sells for $40 used
- M93574: ~5min ago, found 1st (absolutely unbelievably) via Google Search(IDE 4200 MB/s)
- M935WI: Google Search(IC25N030ATDA04 MB/s)
- M935X1: Finds seeming-official specs which sound like they’ve got a warning flag if tranfer falls below “Minimum PIO Transfer Cycle Time With IORDY Flow Control \ 15- 0(=78) Cycle time in nanoseconds (120ns,16.6MB/s)”
- M93568: A seller’s listing, title: “IBM 30GB 4200 IC25N030ATDA04-0 IDE/ATA 2E283Laptop 2.5″ HDD Hard Drive 977”
- M936CL: talked about at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive#Comparison_of_SSDs_with_memory_cards and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive#Availability & especially http://club.myce.com/f7/sd-flash-memory-ide-adapter-vs-hdd-242910/#post2036137
- M937JP: Says ” The benefits of which I hear are major, namely in the speed department, provided you have a fast enough card.” says this
- M938GO: Adapters which would do the job
- M938G8:Syba‘s (currenly $9)
- M93ALE: XRP’s from Amazon (now $10; has detailed specs &which sound reasonable based on no other experience)
- M93A8L: Micro Sata Cable’s from Amazon (currently $10.75)
- M938I5: None I found at frys.com but maybe in-store
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- d
- M935QB: Well how fast does it transfer?
- M8XUSD: Was seemingly disconnecting randomly; so pulled out, readjusted screws so it pushed in as far as possible, then reinserted.
- M8WYM9: Lacks built-in wifi
- M8WYMV: BIOS
- M8X8U6: Version
- M8X8VS: Settings
- M8X940: Main
- M8X8WR: Advanced
- M8X8XJ: Primary IDE adapter
- M8X8YG: 32 Bit I/O
- M8X8ZE: Now was set to Disabled, I changed to Enabled.
- M8X9EP: On reboot got “Operating System not found”
- M8XBFT: Per that & M8XBDL, undo
- M8XBPT: Still got same error; the hard drive may be loose
- M8XC56: But Kubuntu install now sees the drive; was this because I hard-power cycled & light-jostled the computer or because of the “Disable”?
- M8XDBW: Set “Enable” and retry: Windows still doesn’t boot; Kubuntu install again fails at “at least 3.9 GB”.
- M8XDPV:so undo: “Disable”; Windows still doesn’t boot (must be corrupted) but Kubuntu install now also fails at that point. So seems hard drive is loose.
- M8X8ZE: Now was set to Disabled, I changed to Enabled.
- M8X8YG: 32 Bit I/O
- M8X917: Secondary IDE adapter
- M8XBLL: Logo Motion
- M8XBLV: now was “Off”, set to “On”
- M8X8XJ: Primary IDE adapter
- M8X8BD: Runs Kubuntu 12.04 test with no problems with even an external wifi & bluetooth & current bios M8WYNQ.
- M8XAL4: Install Kubuntu 12.04 (from CD as wouldn’t boot from USB)
- M8XBDL: attempt fails with “has at least 3.9 GB available drive space”; seems it can’t see the drive. See this ID
- M8XJ2A: M8SLIK
- M8XJ35: M8SMIK
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M31R7R:Some Additional document history, in order:
- M8WYIT: I create this
- M3KNZ6:Why? Before, instead was:
- M3KNXM:by:
- M37OOV:on (the most similar recent one=http://1.JotHere.com/3541#M8W7DB) latest version M8W9DB, do Copy to new draft overules.info/3541 Copy to a new draft.
- M37OP0:then there: give this a new ID & updated content to fit.
- M8WYV8: Just titled; 1st publish
- M8X40T:Added notable content including survey.
- M8XBRB: Notable additions.
- M8YXL1: additions
- M94QR9: additions
- M8WYIT: I create this