Installing Ubuntu on Sony Vaio VGN-FW170J

[yusufromeo]

Hi,

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FW170J. I am trying to install Ubuntu 8.10 on it but i can not get it to recognize the video driver.
I was wondering if anyone had any success on installing it?

or is there an option to manually set a different video driver that will work?

[Cilice11]

I am experiencing the same problem. Let me know if you find anything :D

Thanks

[tejastrolley]

I, too, am having a similar problem. I cannot get ubuntu to install at all. I can't run it live cd, nor install it straight away. When I do, the screen just goes black, and strange gray lines fade across the screen. But, I also hear the ubuntu sound when it starts up. What can I do? I really miss ubuntu?

I'm pretty sure it's the on-board video card. I hope something can be done. :(

Thanks for any help!

[JoshuaGompert]

I too have the same laptop and got the same black screen when I tried to install openSUSE, not sure if this will help but I finally got it to work by adding x11failsafe to the boot options and it came up just fine. Only thing is its missing the desktop effects. If anyone can figure this thing our it would be great.

[FyckleSmarts]

Wow! I just had this problem with my Sony VAIO VGN-FW140E/H. Same weird grey lines. I wish I had thought of checking compatibility before buying. It's nice to know I'm not alone.

[gtg694t]

Anyone? I'm in the same boat. No luck with openSuSE or Ubuntu.

[khajj]

Ok. I try to install on this PC, Ubuntu Heron, Open Suse, Mandriva and Fedora. And the same issue.

But for I found a solution for Ubuntu.
When you boot on the CD on the PC. There is an option F4 Modes where you can put into Safe Graphics Mode. You select this option and afterward you don't have anymore this problem.
"But once you installed Ubuntu, don't install the updates, if you do it, the safe graphics mode will be disable."

The only issue with that is once you are on it, some custom option like "mac bar" or the box slide can't run.

But for the other things like software installing and packet manager work well.

And i am trying to find a solution for the other Linux distributions.

Anyway i am running with Ubuntu Heron, Windows Vista (sucks), Windows 7 and it works well.

I hope this will help youguys. :)

[pauloal]

Hello to all of the forum, I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FW170J user and am the Ubuntu distribution ... when I install linux on that laptop had not realized that support for video on the site here and saw the option to enter into safe graphics mode and it works but is not so good ... in those days tried Ubuntu on the net 9:04 in the month as we launch a new version and found the Alpha 6 version and I download the video to see if my work ... and for my surprise the video worked perfectly, but this summer is still a test and is not advisable to use meters because of corrections to release the final version ... the launch is scheduled for the day April 23.

Thanks to all,
Paul Noronha - Manaus / Amazonas / Brazil

[grkvenom23]

Thank you there is a god! I have been waiting for this update since I first got the VGN-FW170J in October because that was the first thing I wanted to due, was put Ubuntu on this computer and not have to use Vista and everytime I researched it I would hit a dead end as there were no drivers available for the graphics card. Thank you for listening to the Forums you guys are great and keep doin what you do.

[khajj]

I've downloaded ubuntu jaunty 9.04 and installed it on the pc and works perfectly, wireless, graphics, animations, everything.

But i was just wondering if anybody knows about the other distributions like Mandriva or Fedora because i need to install them. Because the version 2008 of mandriva and fedora didn't work so if you know that the 2009 edition works tell me, please.