I have a Sony Vaio PCG-FX310 that has 2 ea 128 MB SODIMMs installed. It was functioning fine then POOF ! !! The second SODIMM stopped being recognized on boot. I have switched the SODIMMS and the problem prevails. It is always the 2nd memory slot, regardless of what I install there. Has anyone had a similar problem?
Thanks
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I have the same problem with mine. I took in in for service last October, and it was "fixed" - now the problem is back exactly as you described. I should have 512MB, but I'm olny getting 256. The 2nd RAM slot just stops recognizing the chip. I just happened to notice when I looked at my computer properties. They told me the 1st time it was caused by something to do with the PCAMCIA. Is this a serious flaw with this model vaio? I found your post when I did a Google search for Sony Vaio Memory Problems. I used to really like my vaio, but that is starting to change. I'm reading more and more bad things. What was your outcome on this matter? I'm getting ready to send mine back to the shop, but the warranty isn't going to last forever. Has anyone else had this problem?
I have a Sony Viao Picturebook (PCG-C1VN) that has started having similar problems.
This machine has a Transmeta Curusoe Processor, 128MB built in RAM, a 64MB RAM expansion card and windows XP home installed.
Three months ago, it started freezing and crashing. When I pressed the start button, the led lights would flash and the fan would start, but then that was it. Nothing else happened.
At first I dismissed the problem as just a nuisance from an older computer. If I kept trying, eventually something would click and the thing would start.
Things started to get more strange though in short order. Sometimes it would begin starting ok -- the led lights would flash, the fan would spin, the bios would get loaded an the hard drive would take an initial spin -- but then, the hard drive just sort of paused. I discovered that the pause would come to an end and the computer would continue booting normally if I removed my linksys wireless card from the PCMCIA slot. Sliding the card back in at any point during the rest of the booting would result in a pause again. It was almost as if there wasn't enough power for both the card and the hardrive during boot. Once windows was running, then I could put the card in an use it without trouble.
While trying to figure this mystery out, I then discovered another. The 64MB RAM expansion card was no longer being recognized by either the BIOS or windows. It had been for several months, and then no recognition, no matter how many times I took it out and put it back into the machine.
Then finally, the most vexing appeared. The computer stopped functioning on battery. It recognizes the battery is attached. It is even able to distinguish between the orginal I have a newer double capacity model I bought just a few months ago. But, when I pull the AC plug, it dies. If I try and start the machine without the AC cord, absolutely nothing happens.
I've reinstalled windows xp. Even tried wiping the hard drive and going back to windows ME. Same problems. I've taken the entire thing apart, and can see nothing physically amiss at the macro level. I really quite stumped.
I've read the posting here on Vaio laptops stopping, not starting, and not recognizing memory. Seems similar. Any suggestions?
Hey all. I found a super low tech fix for all you low tech fix guys like me... I broke a CD so that there was just a small section of the plastic & placed it under the slot you screw closed. I used it because CDs don't melt unless at a crazy hot temp.. Anyway, with that, my second slot was working again. That much pressure forced it down enough to regain the connection.
Hey, it saved some serious bucks for a 3 year old machine!
Hello Sony fans,And some NOTS) , I can help repair those ram issues as well.. If you are and avid solderer, Or want me to fixit. let me know if I can help..I Have a few sonys I purchased, They are a great machine once the flaws and bugs are fixed..
Guys, i've been facing this startup problem with my vaio FX 370 since the last couple of days. On startup it displays the SONY splash screen, and then the OS (XP professional) is not getting loaded. I get a blank screen on after the SONY screen and the system hangs there ( I dont get the "Loading Microsoft windows xp professional" screen). If i do a hardboot at this point and then restart, then i get the system menu with options "start windows normally", "safe mode", "last known good configuration" etc. If i choose the "last known good configuration" the OS loads 9 times out of 10.
When it boots, everything is normal and the system works perfectly. Only when i startup i get this problem. Since i dont see the loading Xp Professional screen before the system hangs, i assume its got nothing to do with the OS or its startup options.
Basically since the last couple of days, starting the computer has become a 2 step process for me.
1. Start it normally, wait until it hangs and do a hardboot
2. Start it again, then choose "Last known good configuration" and go in.
Let me know if any of you have faced similar problems.
Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!!!!!
The piece of CD on top of the memory fixed my mysterious problem (and what a pain in the butt).
Don't think I'll be getting a vaio again.
Sometimes in life the simplest things are the best!
>Guys, i've been facing this startup problem with my vaio FX 370 since the last couple of days. On startup it
>displays the SONY splash screen, and then the OS (XP professional) is not getting loaded. I get a blank
>screen on after the SONY screen and the system hangs there ( I dont get the "Loading Microsoft windows xp
>professional" screen). If i do a hardboot at this point and then restart, then i get the system menu with options
>"start windows normally", "safe mode", "last known good configuration" etc. If i choose the "last known good
>configuration" the OS loads 9 times out of 10.
>When it boots, everything is normal and the system works perfectly. Only when i startup i get this problem.
>Since i dont see the loading Xp Professional screen before the system hangs, i assume its got nothing to do
>with the OS or its startup options.
I'm having the same problem. My FX 370 will post properly, but once that is over will go to a blank screen containing only a blinking cursor in the upper left hand corner. I can boot from the CD-ROM fine, and in fact, can access the hard drive completely once booted in from a CD, but it won't boot any longer directly from the hard drive.
Was told to replace the hard drive but did not help.
I replaced the 256 memory in slot # 2 with a new one but did not help.
I decided to keep my laptop working with just 256 memory in slot # 1.
Noticed that both 256 memory overheat and that could be the cause of bad slot.
Good luck!
The problem lies in the RAM slot 2. Theres generally 3-4 pins that can be found w/cold or open solder joints. Contact Joe Kalaban throught his forum, Or we can help as well. (If you are stateside). ken@ikenfixit.com
I have a PCG-GRZ630, and out of nowhere, it has restart problems. When I try to restart, it just kinda hangs, and I usually have to shut it down manually and boot again. Sometimes it won't even boot from a cold start.
At first I thought it may have been the battery, maybe losing power and not holding its charge. But I have the same prob with the power cord plugged in alone, and with the battery in.
What could it be, and how can I fix it?
I've been told it could be my BIOS, motherboard, or memory. Does anyone have any ideas?
When you say it "won't boot" do you mean you still get power lights or no power lights? Have you ever experienced the system shutting down randomly on you in the past?
Joe Kabalan
AQS Computer Services
2572 Sheridan Drive
Tonawanda, NY 14150
It won't boot completely. The power lights will go on, but it'll just go into standby. That's only happened a few times though. My main problem/concern is that restart is no longer something that "works."
I formatted my hard drive recently, so I know the OS can't be the problem. (I'm running XP Pro on it, in case you were wondering).
Funny that you should mention random shut downs though - it actually has shut down on me in the past. I sent it in and they added some kind of heat sink compound so the processor wouldn't get too hot too soon. That seemed to fix that problem.
well guys i am sorry to tell you but sony computers/motherboards are notorious for bad ram slots on the mainboard... what can i say... i warn everyone and they dont listen......
I have a PCG-FX310 that's about 3 years old. Recently, the AC power cord has seemed like there was a short somewhere in the area where it plugs into the laptop. But if I jimmied it into the correct position, it would work just fine.
I tried starting the laptop today, but I get nothing at all. The AC adapter seems to be functioning properly as I hooked it up to a multimeter and it was showing 19.8 volts DC. If I jimmy the plug while it's plugged into the laptop, I can't get it to work like it used to. I can only get a quick flicker of the yellow power light (not the orange battery light) if I wiggle the plug around.
This sounds like a problem on the AC adapter port on the laptop to me. I don't think it is the RAM since I still have the factory RAM of 128MB in one slot in. Has anyone else had this problem? Or can anyone give me some troubleshooting hints? I need to get this laptop up and running by this weekend very badly.
I had this power plug failure as well. What happened was that the actual port on the motherboard went bad. It didn't seem to be a cold solder joint or anything. I had to disassemble the whole computer, take out the motherboard, and replace that part... it wasn't pretty, but now it at least doesn't have THAT issue anymore.
Well, looks like I have the problem with the memory not showing what it is. I use to have 256 and now only 128. This all happened since my most recent re-format. I would expect its because of the slot #2 not making the connection. I wish I new this sooner because I recently paid for 2 - 256 that will be delivered to me later this week.
Anyways, two questions.
1) How hard is it to solder the problem areas and is their a schematic or someting out there to use?
2) Does placing a piece of broken cd under the memory cover in order to make contact really work?
, I can help repair those ram issues as well.. If you are and avid solderer, Or want me to fixit. let me know if I can help..I Have a few sonys I purchased, They are a great machine once the flaws and bugs are fixed..
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