VGX-XL201 => power suply out: replace or upgrade the case ???

[fremaas]

Hello girls! :smileygrin:

I have a VGX-XL201 for 2 years now and I have made a lot of modification since I've got it. I change the CPU, the RAM, hard disk,... Thanks to the help of IT Troll, I changed my graphic card with a 8500GT and adapt the heatsink from the the original 7600. Last week, I would like to upgrade my graphic card again and... it was "a big mistake"!
I choose a Leadtek GT220 with 1GB DDR3. One week later, my power supply dye! I don't know if this is a direct consequence of the replacing of my graphic card but I'm very disappointed now!

I look on the net to find a new (or use) power supply and it's almost impossible to find it. The model is DPS-290AB from Delta Electronic. Very, very, very hard to find. I saw a shop on the web that sold it for... 246 US Dollars => They are crazy !!! I call a repair center in my country and they can have it for almost 50 Euros. That's correct. But, the little problem is that they don't want sell me the power supply directly. I have to give my VAIO and they replace the power supply by themselve. So I have to pay almost 125 Euros for the handmade. So the replacing of the power supply cost me 175 Euros for a 300W power supply.

As you know, you can find power supplies for 30 Euros everywhere but with the specific shape of the original one, no other power supplies can be put in the VGX box! So, here is my dilem:

1) I can wait for a moment and check each day on eBay to find a DPS-290AB power supply and hope that the price is not too high.
2) I can hope that someone on this forum knows a way to buy this power supply without paying a technician to replace this ****** power supply
3) Or last choice, I think about a big modification of my VGX-XL201

I ask myself if it will be intersting and not to complicate to install a mini-ITX system in the box. I find a new mini-ITX motherboard that accept Intel 1156 CPU (Core i5, i7). http://www.materiel.net/ctl/ITX/52848-LANPARTY_MI_P55_T36.html. The size is only 17cm x 17 cm! So I think that is possible to place a normal power supply at the place of the original CPU heatsink with very few problem. There is a lot of very silent modular power supply on the market. I can use the Dremel to cut the frame at the back place the I/O back panel of the motherboard in place of USB, Firewire, LAN and optical connection of the VGX. I I can use the 2 empty PCI slot on the top of the box to put a full size PCI-Express and connect it to the motherboard with a flexible riser. and the CPU will be cooling with the Corsair H50 watercooling that is very efficiant with low noise and small size.

So here is the point that I consider positives and negatives with this big modding.

Positive:
- System more powerfull than the original
- Possibility to have more than 3GB of RAM (that is the maximum with the original motherboard)
- Possibility to have a faster CPU (the faster CPU on the original motherboard is the E6700)
- Possibilty to upgrade the motherboard, CPU, RAM,... each time that I need if the case modding is well made (adapt the back of the case to accept the backplate and place the hole for the mini-ITX motherboard on the VGX frame)
- Possibility to have a more powerfull power supply
- Possibility to use a faster graphic card without the limit of electric consumption
- Possibility to use the VAIO to play as a gaming machine

Negative:
- I lost all the front connector
- I have to put a USB infrared receiver for the remote (the internal can not be use anymore)
- I have to buy another wireless keyboard (the IRF module of the original is not working anymore)
- The system will be so quiet as the original ???
- Can I achieve to adapt perfectly the case for the new system, I don't know?

So, let me know what you think about my problem. Do you think that I can buy a new original motherboard for a "normal" price? Maybe do you know where can I find one? Do you think that is realistic to try to to moding the case to upgrade with a mini-ITX system?

Thanks for your help and your advices!
A+
Glad

[Thalamus.]

Hi Glad, would it be possible to list how to obtain the PSU from Sony?  Do we phone their parts department for instance?  My Vaio VGX-XL201 is running OK right now, but PSUs do blow on occasion, and it would be nice to have the info to hand, as we'd struggle to live without our Media Centre now!  Did you sell your PSU on ebay in the end?

Thanks, Tony

Hi Tony

you just have to contact Sony support direct using this outside guarantee number for your country, which can be found by clicking support at the top of the page, to purchase the part..

[ChalkyWhite71]

OK many thanks!

[Thalamus.]

You're welcome..

[fremaas]

Hi all,

sorry for my silence but I have a lot of work for the moment...always my exams !!!

So I check for the delivery price and international shipping is not very interesting! For England, that cost 20 euros! So you save "only" 10 euros from a new one directly order to Sony. Sorry guys! So IT Troll if you are still intersting and if you come always to Brugge in couple of days, we can maybe find a moment to fix a "rendez-vous"? I think it's the best way to have the power supply with a nice price.

A+
Glad

[ITTroll]

Thanks for taking the time to price up the postage. As you said the extra cost does spoil the deal. I am actually back from my Brugge/Brussels visit now, I managed to pick the week which had the coldest temperature for May since records began!

[ITTroll]

you just have to contact Sony support direct using this outside guarantee number for your country, which can be found by clicking support at the top of the page, to purchase the part..  - Thalamus

I am stuggling to find the Outside Guarantee number for the UK. I have had a rummage around the Support link but this steers me towards Lanway CBS Ltd who are a Service Partner rather than Sony direct. Are Lanway the correct point of contact and will they have access to parts like the PSU?

[Thalamus.]

 I am stuggling to find the Outside Guarantee number for the UK. 

Hopefully this should still work - 0905 0310006 (0.35£/min)

[johayne98]

My PSU also DPS-290AB has started buzzing . I am worried that it may blow. Can you still get them thorugh SOny?

Otherwise anyone know where I can get one . Is there a possiblity of getting this PSU repaired?

[johayne98]

Need the same PSU!!

Message was edited by: johayne98

Message was edited by: johayne98