Sony Vaio VGN-SA/SB - ArchWiki

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# Sony Vaio VGN-SA/SB

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Hardware | PCI/USB ID | Working?
--- | --- | ---
Touchpad |  | Yes
Keyboard |  | Yes
Video (ATI) |  | Yes
Video (Intel) |  | Yes
Ethernet |  | Yes
Wireless |  | Yes

## Video

"STAMINA-SPEED" switch is designed as a software switch. This DIP switch is located on one of the individual circuit from mainboard, separately. For easy to understand it, just imagine such as a wireless switch on laptop computers. Therefore, there is nothing to do; feel free to control this switch. Follows are only suggestions within ATI models, your style to go.

### Disable discrete graphics on boot with a systemd unit

You can use systemd to automatically disable your discrete graphics card on boot. You need to make a script file and a service file. You will not need to do what's in section 2.2.2 if you do this

1) First, make a script file in `/usr/lib/systemd/scripts` an example name would be `ati_off`.

    #!/bin/bash
    echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

2) Next, make a service file (e.g. atioff.service) in `/usr/lib/systemd/system`.

    [Unit]
    Description=Turn off the discrete graphics card on boot

    [Service]
    Type=oneshot
    ExecStart=/bin/bash /usr/lib/systemd/scripts/ati_off
    RemainAfterExit=no

    [Install]
    Wantedby=multi-user.target

Now enable `atioff.service`.

### ATI disabled on boot. Get long battery life.

If you want to get more long battery life first, take this method is recommended.

1) mounting debugfs

    # mount -t debugfs debugfs /sys/kernel/debug

or /etc/fstab

    debugfs /sys/kernel/debug debugfs 0 0

2) disable ATI using "vga_switcheroo"

Radeon module should be loaded.

    # modprobe radeon

Power OFF ATI.

    # echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

Check status correct or not.

    cat /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

Result;

    0:IGD:+:Pwr:0000:00:02.0

    1:DIS: :Off:0000:01:00.0

### Use both at any time. Switchable.

If you want to use both intel and ati, commands are avaiable.

1) mounting debugfs

2) using "vga_switcheroo" Radeon module should be loaded.

Enable ATI

    # echo DDIS > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

Enable intel

    # echo DIGD > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

Power ON/OFF

    # echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch
    # echo ON > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

Check current status

    cat /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

### New functions. Set variety.

For more control completely, there is a way to use various functions which you like, e.g. setkeycode.

Please note: Unfortunately BIOS on this machine has no option in order to select which cards you want to use definitely.

## Touchpad

ALPS touchpad is recognized as Im/PS2 Wheel Mouse with scrolling on the right edge. It is hard to be recognized as ALPS currently. A fix that allows for multitouch has been provided here: https://nwoki.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/multitouch-fix-for-alps-touchpad/

Category:

- Sony

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