~Sony SZ Owners Lounge~

[SPEEDwithJJ]

As long as a seller has a lot of sales and good reputation, you shouldn't be fearful of Ebay.
Especially when you consider the money involved, it's not like you will be out $100 if the deal goes south. It's not like you are handing them access to your account, and with a good reputation/tons of sales, do you think they really want to screw that up for $20?

I fully agree with the above. Just give eBay a try. Not every seller on eBay are scammers.

Hmm... I just found, Amazon.de has the 5300... -> just I can't get it directly.

-> It is worth considering when I go to Germany though.
-> And I checked: the brackets seem to only be available in bulk from (to me unknown) retailers or on Ebay -> both a no-go.

I humbly think that the way DetlevCM is thinking is like everyone who sell on eBay are scammers, which is not totally true. Let's take me for an example. I'm about to sell my VAIO Z690 & VAIO P688 notebooks soon. I've sold quite a number of notebook here at the NBR MarketPlace but based on your logic, I can't sell them on eBay. The reason is that if I'm to sell those 2 notebooks on eBay, I am definitely a scammer (at least according to your logic), who is out to scam potential buyers. So does that sound right?

[olo]

I've been looking at these two products:

2nd HDD caddy Apple OptiBay SuperDrive Replacement PATA
and
Optical Bay Hard Drive Caddy (OBHD9-PATA-B) - NewmodeUS

If I understand correctly, neither of these will allow for me to put on the ODD's faceplate so it matches? Both the products I linked to above seem to have their own faceplate which is perfectly rectangular and unicolored. Looking at my SZ faceplate, it's not a rectangle but more of a trapezoid shape and it is both is partly silver on top and black on bottom. Meaning the two products above won't "fit" with the chassi?

Is there anyone who has tried any of these products, is it possible to remove and add the original faceplate?

[olo]

One question.. in the middle of dissableming my sz1 (haha right now I don't think I'll ever get this thing back together ). I came to step 9 on this guide but on my laptop the board referred to is not there.. so my question is, what is this board? And why is mine missing?!

DIY: Replacing the fan on Sony Vaio VGN-SZ

Same thign goes for step 11 D.
The middle one of the D connectors is missing, there's no cable attached.. what's supposed to be attached there?

[DetlevCM]

As long as a seller has a lot of sales and good reputation, you shouldn't be fearful of Ebay.
Especially when you consider the money involved, it's not like you will be out $100 if the deal goes south. It's not like you are handing them access to your account, and with a good reputation/tons of sales, do you think they really want to screw that up for $20?

Actually Paypal is linked to my bank account -> for a legitimate seller (e.g. Beatport for music) that isn't an issue.
I might even have to use it with Lufthansa (if they don't take a debit card in the UK -> saves travel agent surcharges and is possibly quicker than getting a ticket from Germany)
But otherwise I'm wary.
I don't want any potential risk - better safe than sorry, and even if the only cost to me is time, I still don't want it.

I fully agree with the above. Just give eBay a try. Not every seller on eBay are scammers.

I humbly think that the way DetlevCM is thinking is like everyone who sell on eBay are scammers, which is not totally true. Let's take me for an example. I'm about to sell my VAIO Z690 & VAIO P688 notebooks soon. I've sold quite a number of notebook here at the NBR MarketPlace but based on your logic, I can't sell them on eBay. The reason is that if I'm to sell those 2 notebooks on eBay, I am definitely a scammer (at least according to your logic), who is out to scam potential buyers. So does that sound right?

Oh, I never said everybody is a scammer on ebay. I am just highly suspicious of any sellers on ebay - because just about everybody can sell what they want on ebay.
-> For amazon my rule for sellers is "have a look what others thought" and Amazon protects the buyer from potential fraudulent sellers.
For a CD several hundred feedbacks are OK for me, but if it is a high priced item I'd prefer feedback in the thousands.

I will happily pay a bit more for service and peace of mind. My nerves are already subject to enough stress already.

Further, you need experience to spot a scammer on ebay - except maybe when the posting is full of spelling mistakes, although even then it could just be an international seller. -> too much hassle for me.

On this note:
If I buy online, then it's Amazon, Cyberport.de (suggested by Microsoft & tested by Stiftung Wahrentest) - I've further used Beatport for music (got told about the site) and used a card bought in store from Saturn (German) on their site for some music once (because CDs as an Import would bee too pricy).

[olo]

Wow how good aren't the guides here?

I got everthin back together and it's working.. didn't dare throw in the SSD yet though cuz i thought for sure the comp wouldn't start.

so gonna open it up once more and throw in the ssd

The new wifi works.. was hoping for more speed though.. when testing against the internet I got 60 mbit/s downstream... the desktop connected via ethernet gets almost 500 mbit/s. And the router is supposed to be capable of 300 mbit/s wireless... so 1/5 seems a bit sour.. hopefully reception is better though.

The new fan is noiseless! So happy!

My only problem putting it back together is that the switch cover doesn't lock tight at one place.. dunno if its cables getting in the way or what. (on the inside of the left hinge)

[leslieann]

Good News!
I have $200 in parts on the way (I got really lucky finding replacement parts (motherboard, led lcd inverter board, left side trim), my SZ should be back up and running next week if all goes as planned. I'm swiping the SSD from my netbook, and the wireless card in hopes of breaking 7 hours battery life.

One question.. in the middle of dissableming my sz1 (haha right now I don't think I'll ever get this thing back together ). I came to step 9 on this guide but on my laptop the board referred to is not there.. so my question is, what is this board? And why is mine missing?!

DIY: Replacing the fan on Sony Vaio VGN-SZ

Same thing goes for step 11 D.
The middle one of the D connectors is missing, there's no cable attached.. what's supposed to be attached there?

Each model is slightly different, that doesn't even show the (now dreaded and destroyed by me) LED lcd inverter that is located around letter C on step 11.

The board you are referring to in step 9, I have, but I'm not sure exactly what it is, based on location though, I suspect probably some of the min-pci-e circuitry.

The D connector in step 11, I want to say it runs over to the USB ports, but I'm probably wrong. HAHA.

I have parts coming, hopefully saturday (!!!) that will repair mine, and when I do I will have it torn down to the baseplate and I can try and solve the mystery.

Actually Paypal is linked to my bank account -> for a legitimate seller (e.g. Beatport for music) that isn't an issue.
I might even have to use it with Lufthansa (if they don't take a debit card in the UK -> saves travel agent surcharges and is possibly quicker than getting a ticket from Germany)
But otherwise I'm wary.

Oh, I never said everybody is a scammer on ebay. I am just highly suspicious of any sellers on ebay - because just about everybody can sell what they want on ebay.
-> For amazon my rule for sellers is "have a look what others thought" and Amazon protects the buyer from potential fraudulent sellers.
For a CD several hundred feedbacks are OK for me, but if it is a high priced item I'd prefer feedback in the thousands.

I will happily pay a bit more for service and peace of mind. My nerves are already subject to enough stress already.

Further, you need experience to spot a scammer on ebay - except maybe when the posting is full of spelling mistakes, although even then it could just be an international seller. -> too much hassle for me.

On this note:
If I buy online, then it's Amazon, Cyberport.de (suggested by Microsoft & tested by Stiftung Wahrentest) - I've further used Beatport for music (got told about the site) and used a card bought in store from Saturn (German) on their site for some music once (because CDs as an Import would bee too pricy).

I spot bad sales all the time on Ebay and after 700 transactions I have yet to ripped off. Look for good reputation and lots of sales, again, the guy with 9000 sales isn't going to rip you off for $20.

Seriously, have you ever tried selling on Ebay? This isn't the early days, where just anyone could or would sell anything. The days of selling $2 items and making money are long gone. If you deal with people with thousands of feedback, they are making a living on Ebay. A scammer isn't going to take the time and effort of selling hundreds of items and then cash out for a few dollars. Heck, I even buy from China all the time.

As for the bank account/Pay Pal thing, Buyers have ALL of the power on Ebay if something goes bad. Sellers are the ones usually scrwed and they do NOT have access to your bank account. In order for them to continually process payments through ebay, you have to set it up.

As a buyer, Pay Pal is probably the safest way to buy to be honest. As a seller, not so much.



Amazon contracts so much stuff to sellers that you are no more protected than anywhere else, I worked for a do com who worked with them. It wasn't good.

Funny thing...
The one time my card and account details were stolen, it was a well known legitimate brick and mortar business in California, who had an employee stealing numbers. If you are even the slightest bit careful, odds are, your info will be stolen in a server hack (I.E. Sony) or it will be an employee.

The new wifi works.. was hoping for more speed though.. when testing against the internet I got 60 mbit/s downstream... the desktop connected via ethernet gets almost 500 mbit/s. And the router is supposed to be capable of 300 mbit/s wireless... so 1/5 seems a bit sour.. hopefully reception is better though.

The new fan is noiseless! So happy!

My only problem putting it back together is that the switch cover doesn't lock tight at one place.. dunno if its cables getting in the way or what. (on the inside of the left hinge)

Congrats.
The newer fan design was a big improvement it seems.

Make sure you go to Intel for the latest driver, and check the wireless cards power profiles.

Don't force that cover or you will be doing what I'm doing, repairing.

[olo]

I can't figure out what is keeping it from locking tight. Gotta try opening it up again when I get home.

Completely OT:
On my desktop, when I press the eject tray button for ODD, I hear it tries opening but nothing happens. Almost like something is in the way (but there's not). The weird thing is that it opens maybe every fifth try. So it does work. Figured I could ask here if anyone has any idea to this strange behavior?!

[DetlevCM]

I spot bad sales all the time on Ebay and after 700 transactions I have yet to ripped off. Look for good reputation and lots of sales, again, the guy with 9000 sales isn't going to rip you off for $20.

Seriously, have you ever tried selling on Ebay? This isn't the early days, where just anyone could or would sell anything. The days of selling $2 items and making money are long gone. If you deal with people with thousands of feedback, they are making a living on Ebay. A scammer isn't going to take the time and effort of selling hundreds of items and then cash out for a few dollars. Heck, I even buy from China all the time.

As for the bank account/Pay Pal thing, Buyers have ALL of the power on Ebay if something goes bad. Sellers are the ones usually scrwed and they do NOT have access to your bank account. In order for them to continually process payments through ebay, you have to set it up.

As a buyer, Pay Pal is probably the safest way to buy to be honest. As a seller, not so much.



Amazon contracts so much stuff to sellers that you are no more protected than anywhere else, I worked for a do com who worked with them. It wasn't good.

Funny thing...
The one time my card and account details were stolen, it was a well known legitimate brick and mortar business in California, who had an employee stealing numbers. If you are even the slightest bit careful, odds are, your info will be stolen in a server hack (I.E. Sony) or it will be an employee.

You spot them because you have experience doing that.
-> And I don't, heck, I don't even have an Ebay account.

I also wouldn't sell anything I used... if I stop using it, I bin it. -> or take apart out of curiosity


Paypal - well, I don't really trust that company, but sometimes it's the best in between step - without a credit card. So minimizing it's use to trusted parties sounds like a good idea to me

This does make me think of something else though -> in Germany I could let a computer shop order spare parts for me...

[olo]

Congrats.
The newer fan design was a big improvement it seems.

Make sure you go to Intel for the latest driver, and check the wireless cards power profiles.

Don't force that cover or you will be doing what I'm doing, repairing.

Well I choose the corresponding fan... so not new design.. just new

I still can't get the switchboard to "click" on the inside of the left LCD "bearing" thingie... it clicks on the other side of the bearing (the most left part of switchboard). It clicks both outside and inside of the right "bearing". I've tried moving and pressing cables down but this doesn't seem to have any effect.. the parts that are supposed to lock together don't seem damaged.. damn it.. i'm so close

Hmm I didn't get the distinct "click" sound but I've found out what the problem is.. it's the white ribbon cable that goes from the "anl-66 board" and then behind the left speaker. This cable seems to get "caught" when putting the cover over it and it then falls down and gets inbetween the pin on the cover and the corresponding hole by the speaker which it is supposed to attach to.. so the pin doesn't fall into secure the speaker. Don't know where and how I should put the ribbon cable tho as it seems so high that the cover will press it down regardless of what i do?! Right now it seems to be working.. however i didn't hear the distinct click sound which is scaryin me a bit.. dunno if I should just be satisfied and hope for the best or keep at it until I hear the sound as well

[leslieann]

On my desktop, when I press the eject tray button for ODD, I hear it tries opening but nothing happens. Almost like something is in the way (but there's not). The weird thing is that it opens maybe every fifth try. So it does work. Figured I could ask here if anyone has any idea to this strange behavior?!

Usually just a sign they are failing.
Considering what you can get a new one for, or how often most people use them anymore, I wouldn't worry about it much. My desktop, server and laptop don't even have one.

Hmm I didn't get the distinct "click" sound but I've found out what the problem is.. it's the white ribbon cable that goes from the "anl-66 board" and then behind the left speaker. This cable seems to get "caught" when putting the cover over it and it then falls down and gets inbetween the pin on the cover and the corresponding hole by the speaker which it is supposed to attach to.. so the pin doesn't fall into secure the speaker. Don't know where and how I should put the ribbon cable tho as it seems so high that the cover will press it down regardless of what i do?! Right now it seems to be working.. however i didn't hear the distinct click sound which is scaryin me a bit.. dunno if I should just be satisfied and hope for the best or keep at it until I hear the sound as well

I don't know how it was supposed to sit, I've pulled my system apart too many times, but I leave it sitting vertical, which is how I think it was meant to go. Laying flat creates the issue you saw, up, it's out of the way.