VT support for Sony Vaio

[SteveMcG]

I have just bought an FZ11Z which comes with the Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 processor. One of the key attractions for me was that this processor is 64 bit and comes with virtualisation support. http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2duo/specifications.htm

I also ran the detection utility on the VMWare website and it confirms it is able to run 64 bit guests, so I can create 64 bit Virtual Machines.

Now here comes the problem. Vmware support the processor, but to get it to work properly I need to be able to enable VT support in the BIOS, but the BIOS is rather basic and doesnt give me the option.

The official Sony line is that VT "Is not supported" (a horrible phrase that!) but there is no explanation to support that statement.

Being the devious teccy that I am, I am sure that there must be a BIOS somewhere that is not locked down by the manufacturer that will enabe me to get to those settings. (Losing warranty is not important to me)

Has anyone looked into this before at all, and be willing to share their experiences with me? (I guess my perfect answer would be a link to a commercially available unlocked BIOS!)

[arturgrigor]

This is the address for hardware virtualization on:

Model	BIOS Revision	Register
VGN-NR11Z/S	R0131J9	02D0

[Ciroja]

One more item to your "success stories" list :

Model: VGN-FE41ZR

BIOS: R0200J3

Register: 0195

As a result :

• No changes in BIOS setup interface

• SecurAble shows that Hardware Virtualization is still Locked

• BUT! - virtual guest "Windows Server 2003 x64" works fine on Windows Vista 32-bit host, and finally VMWare does not complain about anything

[ccshello]

I changed my VGN-NR310E CPU from T2370 to VT capable T7100.

Its BIOS firmware version is R1101J9.

The location 2D0 enabled the Virtual Technology.

(Use Google serach: VGN-NR310 R1101J9 VT-x

to look for detailed instructions.)

ccs_hello

[IanD90]

Hi Guys, I am in a bit of a predicament, was wondering if anyone could help a noob...

Basically, my problem has all derived from me wanting to learn to create iPhone apps. I am from a web developing background and want to try my hand at something a bit new and different. I soon learned, as I'd half expected really, that I needed to install the iPhone SDK, and of course Apple being Apple this can only be done on a Mac. No worries I thought, install Max OS X on VMWare and get cracking....

As you can probably figure out I hit problems and worked out I needed to turn on VT. After checking my processor was up to the job, and re-checking my BIOS settings I found through forums it was a common arse ache in Sony Vaios... B*stards.

Spent a while looking for an easy fix solution, but couldn't find one. Have now spent the last 3 weeks exchanging emails with the useless people at Sony and have only just been told now that the BIOS update they released was only applicable for Windows 7 users, not Vista which I am currently running.

I have just come across this forum and seems like a good few people are having success. However, after reading and re-reading most of the posts, I am still pretty confused about how to go about it, so basically was just wondering if anyone would be kind enough to take me through a step by step guide for a complete noob. My model is a VGN-BX61VN, which after looking at everyone else's models appear to be quite rare? And my BIOS model is R0210X9 (there's not even any search results on Google for this... not a bad sign I hope?). So yeh any help, preferably a dumbed down version, would be really grateful.

Many thanks

Ian.

Edit: Just had a thought RE model - perhaps because I'm in the UK and I'm going to guess this is a US site? Surely shouldn't make too much difference?

[ccshello]

Ian,

Please see this post, especially on Part II:

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3737719/Main/3737621

My firmware version (R1101J9, i.e., the J9 series) is not the same as yours

thus the register value I used (2D0 is the location) may not be the right

one.

In VMWare community board, there is a table showing different firmware

versions are using different locations.

You might have to use try-n-error method to find out the right one.

Thanks and good luck!

ccs

[carlillos34]

Hi:

What about FW21Z?. Could you tell me how can I enable VT hardware for this computer?

Thanks for All!!

[bumba82]

Hi,

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FE41M, i put a Core 2 Duo T7200, could you please tell me how to enable the 4GB ram support? I bought 4 GB ram, but then if I put them in the slots the notebook has some problems (slow, ubuntu doesn't boot, ...).

Could you please help me?

Many thanks in advance.

Bumba

[erheme318]

Hello guys,

I have sony vaio VGN-NR498E, BiOS version is  R2060J9, How can i find it's bios register?

if it is known, i want to try using  SYMCMOS to enable VT.

If anyone help me to find out for it's register, it would be really appreciate for me.

Thank you,

[jsbrigo]

I'd like to confirm that I successfully enabled VT in my VAIO:

VGN-FZ31S

R2110J7

02D0

Ciao