Help please with my Sony VAIO Laptop

[Maxine]

Can anyone please offer some advice; I am having problems with my Sony VAIO laptop, which is approximately 18mths old:

• It will switch itself off in the middle of using it –it just goes ping and goes off
• It freezes in a middle of a programme and I can’t end the programme, just have to switch off

I have run the scan and fix programme but to no avail unfortunately. Do you think this is something I can resolve myself or will I need to take it to a computer repairers?

Any advice would be appreciated

[Gav]

My daughter's laptop had a similar problem. It was an over-heating issue.

Download a free CPU-thermometer tool (such as at www.CPUThermometer.com) and have it running whilst using the laptop. If the temperature is getting really high each time it freezes or cuts out, that's your problem.

A short-term solution is to make sure that you use it on a hard, flat surface to allow ventilation.

My daughter's turned out to be that the CPU heat-sink wasn't attached properly and the jointing compound had dried out and was breaking away.
If that's your case, it can be as simple as carefully scraping the old compound off, replacing it and making sure that the heat-sink is attached properly. I'm sure you must know someone that could do that for you? I expect a repair shop would charge a fortune.

Hope that helps.

[Maxine]

My daughter's laptop had a similar problem. It was an over-heating issue.

Download a free CPU-thermometer tool (such as at www.CPUThermometer.com) and have it running whilst using the laptop. If the temperature is getting really high each time it freezes or cuts out, that's your problem.

A short-term solution is to make sure that you use it on a hard, flat surface to allow ventilation.

My daughter's turned out to be that the CPU heat-sink wasn't attached properly and the jointing compound had dried out and was breaking away.
If that's your case, it can be as simple as carefully scraping the old compound off, replacing it and making sure that the heat-sink is attached properly. I'm sure you must know someone that could do that for you? I expect a repair shop would charge a fortune.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for that Gav, I will download that and give it a try. It does get warm, because I sit with it on my lap, so it may well be an overheating problem.

I also have done a little research and found these cooling trays http://products.pricerunner.co.uk/resul ... op+Coolers has anyone tried them? do they work?

[cederic]

I have a Zalman ZM-NC1500-B Notebook Cooler and it's excellent. I have an older Zalman model too, and the experience with that one led me to buy the new one (as I need two).

I use my laptop on my bed, which is exceedingly stupid (as the soft duvet clogs up the air vents) unless you have a cooler; the zalman ones are well built, have ample USB powered cooling and aren't excessively noisy. They also have a pass-through USB port so you don't lose a port from your laptop.

Heat is the most likely cause; alternatives include power related issues. Are you running from battery or mains?

[Agente Secreto]

OK, love the idea of the laptop cooler but why spend money when you might not need to? I have a lovely flat tray, which I can sit the laptop on thus making sure that my legs, or the duvet in cederic's case, doesn't interfere with the vents in the bottom which the laptop uses to draw in air for cooling. By all means buy a cooler if that doesn't work.

[Whitebeard]

OK, love the idea of the laptop cooler but why spend money when you might not need to? I have a lovely flat tray, which I can sit the laptop on thus making sure that my legs, or the duvet in cederic's case, doesn't interfere with the vents in the bottom which the laptop uses to draw in air for cooling. By all means buy a cooler if that doesn't work.

As an adjunct to this, I've often envied my sister-in-laws TV tray which sits atop an attached soft cushiony thing which adapts itself to an uneven lap, or whatever, and ensures that the tray itself remains level and steady.

[Whitebeard]

It does get warm, because I sit with it on my lap, so it may well be an overheating problem.

I guarantee that if I sat on your lap I'd have an overheating problem too

[Maxine]

Well things have gone from bad to worse. Can't get into any programme without it freezing. Have tried safemode and scan fix to no avail; so looks like Laptop A & E for me

[Maxine]

Heat is the most likely cause; alternatives include power related issues. Are you running from battery or mains?

I normally have it plugged into the mains as the battery life is not very good

[Miguel]

Well things have gone from bad to worse. Can't get into any programme without it freezing. Have tried safemode and scan fix to no avail; so looks like Laptop A & E for me

Try this:
1) How to Clean a Laptop Fan
2) If the laptop is stable then run a Defrag
3) Then install and run some sort of (free) registry repair program: cnet

[Rocky]

I had a Sony VAIO and it was the worst computer I ever had - turning itself off, keys not working, constantly hanging, 5 min battery life with no warning that it was dying - and then after 3 years the hard drive died. Good riddance, I would never buy another one. When it's working again make sure all your stuff is backed up and then go laptop shopping!

[Lynn]

My Acer laptop sometimes overheats and shuts down - think I need to clean the fan.

[Maxine]

I had a Sony VAIO and it was the worst computer I ever had - turning itself off, keys not working, constantly hanging, 5 min battery life with no warning that it was dying - and then after 3 years the hard drive died. Good riddance, I would never buy another one. When it's working again make sure all your stuff is backed up and then go laptop shopping!

Oh no don't say that please, though what you are saying is resonating with me, it's only 18 months old and cost me an arm and a leg