Vaio FX-640 - hardware freeze

[cardosa]

I have just been passed this notbook from my niece. Her compaints is that it froze all the time.
So thinking it was possibly the driver problem, I updated whatever i could and still the same problem.
I then reinstalled everything. Windows XP Pro. Haha, same thing. It would hang suddenly, and not even ctrl alt del would do anything..
I thought it may be the temperature seeing its using a hot duron? So i made it a point to lift it off the table providing ample ventilation, but to no avail.
I then installed sp1 and after 2 tries, it managed to load. Then I progressed to sp2 and it hung again. when i rebooted, windows was corrupted. So i am now in the process of reinstalling via cdrom using repair installation.
As you can inmagine, it means i will have to do the sp1 update again etc.

Can anyone tell me if they have similar problems? and if so, what logical options there are?

I tried to go to e-support, but it seems my email address is not in the database and i cannot go any further...

aaaarrrrghhhhh.

[johncirving]

I've got a similar problem on my PCG-Fx705

After about 6 months of lockups (could be 10 mins, could be after a couple of hours) the machine gave up the ghost & would not boot.

I ran some disk interrogation programs & re-formatted it - no problems - reinstalled XP from the recovery disks. Installed SP2 (had to download the full version as the update would fail) - Norton Antivirus.

It seemed ok for a day, but then locked up.

I did spot some forums elsewhere that indicated the memory locators & soldering was suspect in the Viao's (dont use the second slot was indicated).

I've now downloaded a hardware sensor monitor (hmonitor from ab software) which allows me to monitor the mainboard & CPU temps.

I've also obtained sandra (SiSoftware) interrogation & testing/benchmarking software (also gives temp & voltage & this matches the other program).

After running the benchmarking software in 'burn in test' mode for a couple of hours (no lockups !!) - the CPU & motherboard monitors did not go over 30 deg C (the fan does spin up now & again, even in these temp ranges). The hard drive did go up to about 55/57 deg C (is that hot ?).



The voltage monitors indicate that it is running at 7.87V & 3.25V (is that correct ?)

I've spent the a couple of days trawling the net to find out the valid ranges for the CPU & motherboard & hard disk (CPU appears to be 85deg C max (on die monitoring) - no information on the m/board or hard disk & no information on whether the hard disk sensor is on the disk or external

(I have a hitachi disk (dk23da) & hitachi do provide full temp specs (max 55 at 10mm or 62 next to chassis)) - but cannot find where the reported temperature is obtained from ...)

I'm back to square one - have to leave the machine running until it locks up & see if there is a correlation between temp & lockup.....

I'll post an update if there is any news.