Sony VAIO power-up protection hack

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Sony VAIO power-up protection hack

Some of the Sony notebook computers, such as my VAIO 505TS and the 505TX, has a power-up protection circuitry to prevent the computer from powering up if the LCD lid is closed. My 505TS, for example, would turn off after just a few seconds when the power switch is turned on with the lid closed.

I found out that the switch that checks whether the LCD cover is down or up is located in the cover latch hole. This protection is useful on the road, when the user may accidentally toggle to the on/off switch. However, at home, when the computer is connected to a real monitor, keyboard, and mouse, it is desirable to be able to power up the portable computer without opening the LCD lid first.

With the switch removed, the computer can power up whether the lid is up or down. I discovered this hack when I upgraded the hard drive and forgotten to reinstall the switch.

Attached Image:

LCD Cover Latch.jpg

Chieh Cheng
Sun, 28 Nov 2004 18:35:51 -0800

To perform this hack, first disassemble the PCG-505TS notebook. Follow the instruction from the "Disassembling the Sony VAIO SuperSlim PCG-505TS Notebook" article in the TrackBack section below.

Then locate the switch. The switch is in front of the notebook, between the hard drive and the PCMCIA port as shown in the photograph below.

Attached Image:

Switch in Place.JPG

Chieh Cheng
Tue, 26 Dec 2006 03:01:35 -0800

Lift the switch cover out of the way as shown in the photo below. The switch is effectively disabled in this case. The keyboard/touchpad panel can be placed back on the notebook. You can re-enable the switch at any time in the future.

Attached Image:

Switch Disabled.JPG