Community

Boboy

My Vaio(PCG-K215M with Matshita UJ820D DVD writer) has been with me for over 15 months, serves me well. Last month it started giving me DVD burning problems, DVD burn reported successfully completed but when the CD's back in the drive it would simply read as blank cd. Tried different media, sometimes it reads sometimes don't (same media).

Then one day it simply powered off just like that. No LEDs, power button didn't work at all.

Opened the unit partly (half of mb exposed), blown all the dust, brushed the vents, tried it on, still nothing.

Found the CMOS battery (Maxell ML1220 3V rechargeable), flipped it out and back again... it finally worked, but only for a day! Opened it again, took out the cmos battery, laptop started again, and still working at present (without the CMOS battery). But DVD drive fault remains.

Can anyone please help me troubleshoot with this. How will be my unit now without cmos battery? Will it do further harm?

Any input is appreciated.

CHACHU

Lost for words mate, cant hel you on this topic.

kee-lo_

Try to get a replacement CMOS battery from a local computer store

jammold

Look for a CR2032 battery. They retail at about £2.00 or £3.00 and are available at most computer or local store that sells batteries.

As for the Matshita drive, have it looked at by a professional. Sadly you may well be out of warranty now.

You might be able to find a replacement drive on eBay or other spares shops...

Boboy

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately it isn't easy to find that rechargeable battery. I rang most computer shops in Dublin and they don't have (even the SONY distributor don't have this). Found one but I still have to wait for a week at least (that will do anyway).

CR2032 is available even in local jewellery shops but it is not rechargeable. I'm just thinking that if I use an ordinary one it might end up leaking when it is being charged, am I right?

My laptop still works without the battery, strangely I don't get any error in clock/date and other disk info (which cmos chip stores).

I'm running mobile meter now and am monitoring the temp, among other options I think it has something to do with overheating, highest temp I got so far is 68 for unit and 53 for hdd. As for the drive I think you're right, maybe starts wearing out.

Thanks for all the help guys, appreciate it!

Boboy

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately it isn't easy to find that rechargeable battery. I rang most computer shops in Dublin and they don't have (even the SONY distributor don't have this). Found one but I still have to wait for a week at least (that will do anyway).

CR2032 is available even in local jewellery shops but it is not rechargeable. I'm just thinking that if I use an ordinary one it might end up leaking when it is being charged, am I right?

My laptop still works without the battery, strangely I don't get any error in clock/date and other disk info (which cmos chip stores).

I'm running mobile meter now and am monitoring the temp, among other options I think it has something to do with overheating, highest temp I got so far is 68 for unit and 53 for hdd. As for the drive I think you're right, maybe starts wearing out.

Thanks for all the help guys, appreciate it!

kee-lo_

I don't think you'll have a problem with this battery, as a lot of laptops use that battery

Boboy

ordered new cmos battery, delivery within a week.

here's a very interesting one. laptop still powers off once in a while (either in battery or ac power). took the battery out, run by ac power and when it powers off, i insert the battery, hit the power button and on it goes.

but when it powers off with battery in (running either by ac or battery), it cannot be powered back (needed to open the unit and lift out and in that cmos battery and that's the only time the unit will surely power on again).

any idea?