Problem with notebook, please help

Quote from ari_veru:

Here's some more info about the computer. Hope this will help to find a solution.

The notebook is SONY VAIO PCG FX120
The processor is SpeedStep, 700-550 MHZ, I believe it was the original processor.


My friend had done two updates for the BIOS (to BS211U0 and later to R0217U0 versions)http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/pc/pcgfx120fx140fx150/windows2000/ http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/pc/pcgfx120fx140fx150/
you can see the red warning not to do the upgrades if additional memory had been installed, at the time of the upgrade that warning wasn't there, and my friend did have additional memory on the notebook

after the upgrades there were some problems with USB ports, but they are not the major issue

the main problem is that the computer will reboot itself, sometimes it might do it after working normally for some period of time, and sometimes it might reboot right after turning on

this started a month or two after the BIOS upgrades, so we thought it's not correlated

also the problems seemed to be with the hardware because the computer will restart itself even if working under plain DOS, and also if it's left at the BIOS setup

this friend of mine is currently at a former soviet republic, doing some useful work for the people there, and really needs the comp. working, I'll probably just buy him a new laptop, but I wanted to see first if some of you guys had similar problems

thank you all for taking the time and trying to help.
More...

I just looked at the web site and yes, if you had increased the memory all bets may be off. That is not only a situation with Sony, but with many laptop bios upgrades. And your troubles do fit the bios trouble game. What you might have to do is wipe totally the bios and revert it back to its original pristine condition.

Sony can (even though they don't like to) walk you through this procedure. That should/might take care of the current trouble. The only hope is that you haven't damaged the hardware in the process. Which IS very possible in this instance. The sadder piece is that you currently might only have given stop gap coverage and the time bomb of hardware shutdown is ticking.

Here's another option:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3403254585&category=3716
(That is if you just have to have the same model.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3403505301&category=31558
(Better option)

Any repair options that you might undertake on the existing unit, either with Sony or its authorized repair stations, will probably cost more than a replacement unit. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful but the laptop manufacturers don't make their units good candidates for field tech repairs. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top