Model.txt Trick [Updated: 10/5/08]

[Sull86]

What is all this talk about the model.txt file ?

Sony packs all the drivers and applications with a model check, very simple it just looks if the executable matches up to your model UX, this can be a pain in the but, specially for folks with Vista who want to downgrade to XP or myself who has a Japanese model UX.

Preview:

How do you trick Sony's executables ?

We will go over how to do the trick in Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Windows Vista

1. Locating the model.txt, you should find the file in C:\WINDOWS if you do not see the file you will need to grab any Sony driver or application which is not intended for your model and run it, it will fail and the model.txt file will be created.

2. Right click the model.txt file, scroll down and click Properties, at the top of the window click the Security tab. We are going to make sure we have full permission to do what we need, though this part might be redundant, it just takes a second. You should see a Advanced button in the lower right hand corner of the window, when you press the advanced button a new window should pop up, at the top of this window select the Owner tab, in the lower left hand corner of the screen press Edit, now double click your user name and press ok, you will most likely get a security window which says "If you have just taken ownership of this object, you will need to close and reopen this object's properties before you can view or change permissions" this is exactly what we are going to do, press ok and continue pressing ok until the properties window is closed. Now we are going to go back into the model.txt properties to change the permissions so the file cannot be written to.You know what to do right click the model.txt file and click properties, at the top of the window select the Security tab, close to the top of the window you should see "Group or user names:" for each name listed we are going to highlight them by clicking each name once and then click the Edit button, a new window should popup and now you should put a checkmark in the box to deny write permissions, now remember we want to do this for every name in the "Group or user names:" box.

3. If you have followed the directions correctly, when you run any executable packed by Sony you should get an error, let it continue on and it should finish without any problems


Windows XP

The trick for XP works but not that great, you will have to re save the file after running any Sony execuatble. I will include a link to an app which jgottschlich here at the forum has written to trick the model.txt, I have not tested this app so please use at your own risk CLICK HERE

1. Locating the model.txt, you should find the file in C:\WINDOWS if you do not see the file you will need to grab any Sony driver or application which is not intended for your model and run it, it will fail and the model.txt file will be created.

2. Lets say for example, you have a UX390N and want to install XP, you just downloaded all the drivers and applications which are intended for the UX280P.Now open the first application/driver you want to install, if you are prompted with a select your language window, choose the appropriate language and press ok, just leave that window for now and open the model.txt file, you should see Model = "VGN-UX( Your model here)" If going by my example you should see UX390N, change it to UX280P press save, you can leave the model.txt file open for ease later and now continue installing your application/driver you have open. The reason this works is because the file cannot be written to once your application/driver is already open.

3. You will always have to open your driver/application and then save the model.txt file for it to work each time.

Alternate method for Windows XP or Vista

Another way to get rid of the model.txt completely, unpack any application/driver with a program called WUN or Universal Extractor 1.5 all this does is removes Sony's executable with the check



Sull

PS. If I made any mistakes in explaining how to trick Sony's executables please tell me

[enterman]

nice work sull

[dozer16]

Does this mean i can install ux280p recovery disc with xp on my ux380n.
Thanks

[Sull86]

No this does not.

That will involve some other hacking, I have no idea how to go about that.

[dozer16]

OK thanks, I'm still figuring out the stuff on this site.
Thank You.

[Stone]

Hello,
I don't get this straight ... I see 2 "model.txt" files within windows root; one of them is empty and the other one has the model stated: "Model - VGN-380N". In the "group and users" window I don't see any name listed! Which name should be listed (administrators / user(PC) / ... ?)?

Getting "camera utility" (rear camera) within W7 is a nightmare! Everything else is working by the book!
Thanks in advance for any help / trick.

Cheers.

[souljaboy112]

Originally Posted by Stone

Hello,
I don't get this straight ... I see 2 "model.txt" files within windows root; one of them is empty and the other one has the model stated: "Model - VGN-380N". In the "group and users" window I don't see any name listed! Which name should be listed (administrators / user(PC) / ... ?)?

Getting "camera utility" (rear camera) within W7 is a nightmare! Everything else is working by the book!
Thanks in advance for any help / trick.

Cheers.

its not a nitemare , just use the search button

[Sull86]

Originally Posted by Stone

Hello,
I don't get this straight ... I see 2 "model.txt" files within windows root; one of them is empty and the other one has the model stated: "Model - VGN-380N". In the "group and users" window I don't see any name listed! Which name should be listed (administrators / user(PC) / ... ?)?

Getting "camera utility" (rear camera) within W7 is a nightmare! Everything else is working by the book!
Thanks in advance for any help / trick.

Cheers.

If you downloaded a driver from the 490N replace 390 with 490 in the model.txt file.... it's pretty easy...

[Stone]

Originally Posted by Sull86

If you downloaded a driver from the 490N replace 390 with 490 in the model.txt file.... it's pretty easy...

Many thanks for your reply, Sull. I managed however with your Model.txt (trick) application (I found it in your site - THANKS). I assumed also that it has to b stated UX490N in order to be able to install necessary files. Finally, I've got the rear camera working.

Just for the record: if anybody has issues with BT, there is a last version of Toshiba BT to be used! If someone needs this file, just tell me and I will upload it to my private server.

Again, thanks Sull.

Cheers.

[ozkaya]

Originally Posted by Stone

Many thanks for your reply, Sull. I managed however with your Model.txt (trick) application (I found it in your site - THANKS). I assumed also that it has to b stated UX490N in order to be able to install necessary files. Finally, I've got the rear camera working.

Just for the record: if anybody has issues with BT, there is a last version of Toshiba BT to be used! If someone needs this file, just tell me and I will upload it to my private server.

Again, thanks Sull.

Cheers.

is that stack 7.10.04?