Mission Impossible??

[msibanker]

Dear all Fellows at the Forum here,


For of all, I am NOT sure if it is the right place posting in sections of either pheonix unblocking request or award BIOS unlocking request.


I am on a “mission impossible quest” (as many other people I contacted at different forums/websites including Sony’s official ) that I am trying to replace /disable the existing Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT-512MB video graphics card which is soldered on the motherboard of my sony VAIO VGN-AR770U laptop.


The screen has certain artifact-lines, and the laptop shuts down itself abruptly often. Sony’s hardware diagnostic detected video error, I believe the GeForce 8600M GT is dying, which I am trying to replace. All people I ran into, told me it can’t be done.


Interesting enough, I found sony made a external dock with AMD video graphics card inside + blu ray player-VGP-PRZ20A, Sony said it’s for certain laptop models ONLY, i found it can be used for VGN models.


I went ahead bought it from ebay, but I have problem getting it detected after drivers installed.


My thinking is:
Either the drivers or the my laptop’s BIOS are designed to block it from detecting/allowing.


And if I can unlock/modify the existing drivers or unlock/modify the BIOS then allowing me to disable the existing defected Nvidia graphics card and allow the VGP-PRZ20A to work, then my “mission” will be possible.


I looked the laptops BIOS advance menu section, seems to me Sony is not even let me get to the video card section, no such option available.


2 things that are worth to note: Original OS was Vista Ultimate 32 bits, now running windows 7 Pro 64 bits, clean installation; the device manager states “standard VGA graphics adapter” in Display section, ie, graphics card, meaning unable to detect the dying Nvidia as well, the original driver 32 bits does not work with 64bits OS, or the Nvidia it’s own defects.


I am wondering, does any Pro(s) here ever modified that part of BIOS or driver in the past, so that it is accessible, then I can disable the defective Nvidia and run the VGP-PRZ20A with AMD as external?


Thank you in advance,


Here are some info:


Sony VGP-PRZ20A-AMD external video graphics card+blu ray player +docking statio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEcWj52NCDU


My laptop spec: (please note: OS now is windows7 Pro 64 bits/ clean install)

https://docs.sony.com/release/specs/VGNA...O_mksp.pdf

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Link to BIOS would help begin the mission!
Do you have flash programmer like CH341A + SOIC8 test clip cable? If not, order now on ebay, so if needed later for recovery maybe it will almost be delivered (Usually 3-5 weeks for delivery if you order cheap, only $2.50 for each item on ebay)

[msibanker]

Link to BIOS would help begin the mission!
Do you have flash programmer like CH341A + SOIC8 test clip cable?  If not, order now on ebay, so if needed later for recovery maybe it will almost be delivered (Usually 3-5 weeks for delivery if you order cheap, only $2.50 for each item on ebay)

 Hello Lost_N_BIOS, 

Thank you for yr reply. 

I don't have a link to the BIOS, when I pressed F2, that tells me the Sony's BIOS version is R2080JB, the sony has pheonix i believe. 

I also don't have CH341A + SOIC8 test clip cable, will look into it thru ebay. 

I have the original sony DVD recovery dics set, see photo. Problem is, two of the disc are corrupted, and I tried to copy them onto a flash drive, somehow i could not link them all together in the flash drive and combine them as 1-piece. 





Thanks,

[Lost_N_BIOS]

DVD will not help with BIOS recovery, if something goes bad you need the tools I mentioned or ones like it, that is only way to recover if BIOS bricks.
I suggest you get these tools, and have them in hand with backup made, verified and validation by someone checking it, before you flash any modified BIOS that's intended to change or all you to change things towards your goal (enabling or disabling certain graphics features etc)

Otherwise BIOS modification may be fine, and you change settings, then boom black screen from changing a graphics related setting to try and reach your goal, and you can't reset it or reflash etc. This is why having BIOS recovery hardware in hand is very important, you want it before you have this issue, not after, since delivery often takes 3-5 weeks unless you pay 3-4x more $$ to get it shipped faster or from a closer source.

Give me the exact model name on the bottom of the system, I will find the BIOS download page.

[msibanker]

DVD will not help with BIOS recovery, if something goes bad you need the tools I mentioned or ones like it, that is only way to recover if BIOS bricks.
I suggest you get these tools, and have them in hand with backup made, verified and validation by someone checking it, before you flash any modified BIOS that's intended to change or all you to change things towards your goal (enabling or disabling certain graphics features etc)

Otherwise BIOS modification may be fine, and you change settings, then boom black screen from changing a graphics related setting to try and reach your goal, and you can't reset it or reflash etc.  This is why having BIOS recovery hardware in hand is very important, you want it before you have this issue, not after, since delivery often takes 3-5 weeks unless you pay 3-4x more $$ to get it shipped faster or from a closer source.

Give me the exact model name on the bottom of the system, I will find the BIOS download page.

Hello Lost_N_BIOS, 

Regarding the CH341A & SOIC 8 test clip, is this the one ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/EEPROM-BIOS-USB...:rk:1:pf:0


The BIOS version is R2080JB. 

Here is a link from SONY, my VGN-AR770U specs page, please copy & paste onto yr internet browsers: 

https://docs.sony.com/release/specs/VGNA...O_mksp.pdf

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Yes, that large kit you linked on ebay will work, you really only need these two items. But, wait to order, until I can check your BIOS, we may not be able to do anything.
Or go ahead if you just want to have, very helpful can save you from bad flashes in the future and get around security checks stopping you from flashing mod BIOS

CH341A (Two examples)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/262136734464
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142685058952

SOIC8 Test Clip Cable
https://www.ebay.com/itm/382486015977

Did you open laptop up already and confirm 8600M is soldered to the board? If yes, then OK

Please download universal BIOS backup toolkit from here, when running this screen will freeze and you can't move it's window, once done the file will be there, zip it and upload for me. Also, this may set off virus warning, tell it to ignore or disable while you download and run, this is false positive because tool accesses the BIOS
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details...olkit.html

[msibanker]

Yes, that large kit you linked on ebay will work, you really only need these two items.  But, wait to order, until I can check your BIOS, we may not be able to do anything.
Or go ahead if you just want to have, very helpful can save you from bad flashes in the future and get around security checks stopping you from flashing mod BIOS

CH341A (Two examples)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/262136734464
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142685058952

SOIC8 Test Clip Cable
https://www.ebay.com/itm/382486015977

Did you open laptop up already and confirm 8600M is soldered to the board?  If yes, then OK

Please download universal BIOS backup toolkit from here, when running this screen will freeze and you can't move it's window, once done the file will be there, zip it and upload for me.  Also, this may set off virus warning, tell it to ignore or disable while you download and run, this is false positive because tool accesses the BIOS
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details...olkit.html

Hello Lost_N_BIOS, 

Thank you for yr confirmation regarding both CH341A and SOIC8 test clip cable. 

Yes, I opened the laptop a few time to clean, wiped out old thermal paste and re-applied between the heat sink and intel processor; between heat sink and nvidia which is soldered onto the motherboard. 

Interesting enough, seems to me i could unscrew and take out the intel processor for replacement, but sony soldered the video graphics card onto the motherborad instead of using those attachable !?! Don't know why they did it this way, beats me . 

Speaking of thermal paste, should i also apply them on those small "memory-chip looking" surrounding  nvidia chip, they are covered with a foam-looking pad--are they thermal pad??? But no one on youtube video tell people to apply any thermal paste on those...should I replace those as well?? See below photo, thank you.

[msibanker]

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Thanks, they solder it like that to save $$ and it makes lighter to not use MXM removable graphics card too. It's normal for many laptops, especially lighter ones or ones that don't use high end graphics.

No paste on thermal pads, just make sure each one goes back into place when you put back together. You can replace the pads with new pads if you want, but don't use paste it's usually not thick enough for the area pads are used.

For the backup from above image, hit "Read" button and then wait a minute or so, then hit backup button and choose file name, then once it's done close window and in that folder you will find your backed up BIOS file.

[msibanker]

Thanks, they solder it like that to save $$ and it makes lighter to not use MXM removable graphics card too.  It's normal for many laptops, especially lighter ones or ones that don't use high end graphics.

No paste on thermal pads, just make sure each one goes back into place when you put back together.  You can replace the pads with new pads if you want, but don't use paste it's usually not thick enough for the area pads are used.

For the backup from above image, hit "Read" button and then wait a minute or so, then hit backup button and choose file name, then once it's done close window and in that folder you will find your backed up BIOS file.

Hello Lost_N_BIOS, 


OK, i think i just got that....thank you....