Sony finally unlock Intel Virtualization
As I saw on Bernhard Froemel’s blog, Sony plans to make bios updates with enabled VT. Sony decides to enable it after people complain about non working XP Mode in Windows 7.
I see people confirming it in comments, but I still can not find any update for my model on sony-europe.com
Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala beta
I just want to inform you, if you have not tried it yet. Brightness control works out of the box. S1 key works, AV key does not. Headphones jack detection works. Built-in microphone does not. Web camera works in Skype.
Dmesg output when using AV key:
sony-laptop: Unknown event: 0x100 0xa1 sony-laptop: Unknown event: 0x100 0x21
I guess sony-laptop module is without our patch or just a new one. I’ll check sources when I have time.
Stay tuned.
Brightness patch for FW4x models
Thanks to Olivier Grégoire for supplying DSDT.aml for FW4 model. I have updated quick brightness guide post with new patch links, take a look.
HDMI sound output switcher for PulseAudio
Here is another script which you can link for example to AV Mode button, to switch sound output to HDMI and back. First I thought I can use Alsa, but it works only with one application, other application can not play sound while another one is playing. So then I did it with PulseAudio which works correctly. This switcher works for all native Gnome/gstreamer sound applications, and some applications e.g. SMplayer refuse to switch their sound regardles what default output set in PulseAudio. If you have playing sound and then switched to HDMI, it will still play through old way and you need to restart your sound e.g. push stop/play button to point sound through new way.
First of all you need to prepare PulseAudio configuration. For some point PA does not add HDMI output to devices itself. We should add it and rename internal sound card to something readable. Open /etc/pulse/defauld.pa in editor with root privileges (e.g. sudo nano /etc/pulse/default.pa in terminal) locate line “#load-module module-pipe-sink” there. Open terminal and run this command there: aplay -l | grep -o -e "card [0-9]:.*[0-9]:" | sed -e "s/card \([0-9]\): \(.*\) \[.*device \([0-9]\).*/load-module module-alsa-sink device=hw:\1,\3 sink_name=\2/"
Command returns two lines which we need to add to default.pa file after that line you located earlier. In my case this lines look like:
#load-module module-null-sink #load-module module-pipe-sink load-module module-alsa-sink device=hw:0,0 sink_name=Intel load-module module-alsa-sink device=hw:1,3 sink_name=HDMI ### Automatically load driver modules depending on the hardware available
Then you should restart PulseAudio (sudo /etc/init.d/pulseaudio restart) to changes make effect. You can check that devices added correctly by running pacmd list-sinks in terminal, you should see “name: <HDMI>” and “name <Intel>” if you have got the same names as in my case, theese names must be the same as after “sink_name” in lines you added to default.pa.
Ok, now to switcher:
#!/bin/bash # # Sound output switcher using Gnome,gconf,PulseAudio,Alsa,libnotify # # by Anton Veretenenko <anton[email sign]veretenenko.ru> notify_show=1 notify_delay=500 hdmi_card_num=1 internal_card_name=Intel hdmi_card_name=HDMI is_hdmi_on=`amixer -c $hdmi_card_num cget numid=4,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Switch' | grep -i -c -P -e "values=on"` if [ "$is_hdmi_on" == "1" ] then amixer -c $hdmi_card_num cset numid=4,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Switch' off > /dev/null gconftool --set "/system/gstreamer/0.10/default/musicaudiosink" --type=string "pulsesink device=\"$internal_card_name\"" gconftool --set "/system/gstreamer/0.10/default/audiosink" --type=string "pulsesink device=\"$internal_card_name\"" gconftool --set "/system/gstreamer/0.10/default/chataudiosink" --type=string "pulsesink device=\"$internal_card_name\"" pacmd "set-default-sink "$internal_card_name"" if [ $notify_show -eq 1 ] then notify-send -u normal -t $notify_delay -i gnome-sound-properties "HDMI Off" "Sound output switched to $internal_card_name" fi else amixer -c $hdmi_card_num cset numid=4,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Switch' on > /dev/null gconftool --set "/system/gstreamer/0.10/default/musicaudiosink" --type=string "pulsesink device=\"$hdmi_card_name\"" gconftool --set "/system/gstreamer/0.10/default/audiosink" --type=string "pulsesink device=\"$hdmi_card_name\"" gconftool --set "/system/gstreamer/0.10/default/chataudiosink" --type=string "pulsesink device=\"$hdmi_card_name\"" pacmd "set-default-sink "$hdmi_card_name"" if [ $notify_show -eq 1 ] then notify-send -u normal -t $notify_delay -i gnome-sound-properties "HDMI On" "Sound output switched to $hdmi_card_name" fi fi
Here you need to change hdmi_card_num to number of your HDMI sound card (you can get it by aplay -l in terminal) and internal_card_name to name you found earlier and hdmi_card_name to hdmi card name which you saw after “sink_name” parameter.
This switcher will show a popup notification, like you see when changing brightness 
P.S. How to link this script to AV Mode button (XF86Launch2) read in post about headphones switcher script.
Headphones/Front switch script
I’m not defining a “hippo” model for “snd-hda-intel” to make headphones detection about we talk earlier. Because I’m using my headphones plug very rarely, I decided to write a shell script to switch sound to headphone and back and link it to to S1 button. This information could help you if you want to make S1 button to do something else too.
Here is a switch script, when you run it, it detects if headphones are switched on then it switch it off and vice-versa. Front mixer channel will be switched off if headphones switched on and vice-versa.
#!/bin/bash # by Anton Veretenenko <anton[email sign]veretenenko.ru> is_front_on=`amixer -c 0 cget numid=2,iface=MIXER,name='Front Playback Switch' | grep -i -c -P -e "values=on,on"` if [ "$is_front_on" == "1" ] then amixer -c 0 cset numid=2,iface=MIXER,name='Front Playback Switch' off amixer -c 0 cset numid=3,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Switch' on else amixer -c 0 cset numid=2,iface=MIXER,name='Front Playback Switch' on amixer -c 0 cset numid=3,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Switch' off fi
To link S1 button to this script (make a shortcut) you need to delete shortcut from System->Preferences->Keyboard Shortcuts for this button, if you have it. I guess you saw that S1 button named as “XF86Launch1″ in keyboard shortcuts, you need this name later.
Open gconf-editor (Alt+F2, type gconf-editor, Run). On the left tree select apps->metacity->global_keybindings the on the right you should see a list of keys, select one you like (I choose “run_command_1″) and edit it (right click, Edit Key), enter name of S1 button (“XF86Launch1″) into value field. Then select “keybinding_commands” on the left.
Edit “command_1″ key, into value field you should enter path to the script, in my case it is “/home/egaistek/scripts/alsa-front-mute”. That’s all, it should work now.
P.S. Do not forget to add executable permissions to a script file (chmod +x in terminal or File->Properties, Permissions tab, set “Allow executing file as program” in Nautilus/File Explorer)
P.P.S. This works only for Gnome without Compiz running. If you want to add shortcuts with Compiz, use Compiz configuration tools.
Quick brightness guide for Jaunty
This little guide is faster an easier version of previous brightness how to. Since Jaunty already have sony-laptop patch included, we need to patch our DSDT bios table only and override default one with patched, while kernel is loading. I saw many people have problems with DSDT compiling, so I removed dsdt-error.patch patches from pack, and changed it with another line in terminal.
I have made a script which will make all what needed, you just need to select right patch for your model. Download new patches pack. Unpack it, then pop up your terminal and go into that directory, where you’ve unpacked it. There is 3 patches included dsdt-ati-fix-fw1x.patch, dsdt-ati-fix-fw2x.patch, dsdt-ati-fix-fw3x.patch. If you have FW3x(x) model, then use dsdt-ati-fix-fw3x.patch and so on for FW1x(x)/FW2x(x). Ok, you’ve made your choice, now just type this in terminal:
Ok, I have changed script and make him choose the right patch for you, just type this in terminal then:
sudo ./dsdt-patch
That’s all
Here is a source code of that script, for those who interested:
#!/bin/bash # by Anton Veretenenko <anton[email sign]veretenenko.ru> # version: 0.2 patch_temp_dir=vaio_fw_patch isroot=`whoami` if [ ! $# -eq 0 ] then echo "Use: sudo ./dsdt-patch" exit fi if [ ! "$isroot" == "root" ] then echo "Error: Make sure you run this script with sudo" exit fi echo "Creating temp directory" mkdir "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir" if [ ! -x /usr/sbin/dmidecode ] then # if dmidecode isn't found, let's install it too echo "Installing dmidecode" apt-get install dmidecode else echo "dmidecode found" fi isfw1=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(1).*"` isfw2=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(2).*"` isfw3=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(3).*"` isfw4=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(4).*"` if [ "$isfw1" == "1" ] then patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw1x.patch elif [ "$isfw2" == "1" ] then patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw2x.patch elif [ "$isfw3" == "1" ] then patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw3x.patch elif [ "$isfw4" == "1" ] then patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw4x.patch else echo "Could not select the right patch for you, does it FW model? Contact me." rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" exit fi if [ ! -r "$patch_file" ] then echo "Error: Could not read $patch_file file" rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" exit else echo "Selected $patch_file patch for you" fi cp "$patch_file" "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" cd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir" if [ ! -x /usr/bin/iasl ] then # if iasl isn't found, let's install it echo "Installing iasl" apt-get install iasl else echo "iasl found" fi if [ ! -x /usr/bin/acpidump ] then # if acpidump isn't found, let's install it too echo "Installing acpidump" apt-get install acpidump else echo "acpidump found" fi if [ ! -x /usr/bin/patch ] then echo "Installing patch command" apt-get install patch else echo "patch command found" fi echo "Dumping DSDT table to DSDT.aml" acpidump -b -t DSDT -o DSDT.aml if [ ! $? -eq 0 ] then # if acpidump failed, show error echo "acpidump failed" rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" exit fi echo "Decompiling DSDT.aml to DSDT.dsl" iasl -d DSDT.aml rm DSDT.aml if [ ! $? -eq 0 ] then # if iasl failed, show error echo "iasl failed" rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" exit fi echo "Patching DSDT.dsl with $patch_file" patch < "$patch_file" if [ ! $? -eq 0 ] then # if patching failed, show error echo "$patch_file patch failed" rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" exit fi echo "Fixing _T_0 errors in DSDT.dsl" sed -i 's/_T_0/T_0/g' DSDT.dsl if [ ! $? -eq 0 ] then # if sed failed, show error echo "_T_0 fixing failed" rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" exit fi echo "Compiling patched DSDT" iasl DSDT.dsl if [ -f DSDT.aml ] then echo "Compilation successfull, updating initramfs" cp DSDT.aml /etc/initramfs-tools/ dpkg-reconfigure linux-image-`uname -r` else echo "Error: DSDT compilation error" fi # deleting temp dir rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/" if [ -f /etc/initramfs-tools/DSDT.aml ] then echo "DSDT patch applied, you should reboot your system now" fi
On Jaunty
Just updated.
Brightness works out of the box if you have patched dsdt in initramfs =)
Sound works and not integrated mic.
Video/3D works with fglrx.
S1/AV and fn keys works.
I saw that usb flash/hdd drives are fast now but system load too much.
I guess I have problems with wireless, poor performance. I’ve noticed it because I’m using NFS shares through wifi, e.g. watching movies. And on Jaunty nautilus and player hangs more of a time. Something wrong there. Do you have such problems?
VT-x/VMX Virtualization patch for Sony Vaio FW
At this time thanks going to Peter Crees for pointing me to HOWTO Enable Intel VT on Sony VAIO by Igor Levicki (big thanks to him!), all you need is to do a bootable usb flash drive with DOS, put there VTPATCH files from downloads section of that howto. Then reboot into DOS from usb and run PATCH.BAT. Pretty easy
Here is a little howto make you flash drive bootable. Yea, it’s for windows, I did it in virtualbox, because I have windows installed there to test sites with IE. You can find another linux only solution, and I’ll put it here.
Cheers!
sony-laptop patch included in 2.6.28-11.36 jaunty update
Just a bit of good news. My patch was accepted into 2.6.28-11.36 jaunty kernel update.
I’m working on new brightness changing method, stay tuned.
New sony-laptop brightness control
I’m thinking on updating this module with another brightness control which does not require DSDT patching.
It’s based on changing hardware registers on Ati card and work with radeonhd and fglrx drivers only. Worth it or not, what do you think guys?
It’s possibly would not work with power manager, only with fn keys and maybe without onscreen osd
If someone have laptop with fullhd screen, I would like to test this method with you, because you have another Ati card.
