Computer help

[dralarms]

I have a Sony Vio laptop that has gone nuts. I use this computer almost everyday for soem of my alarm programs. However today I opened the lid to find a "locked" condition, it was hard locked, Ctl,alt, del would do nothing.

It has 2 memory chips in it so I removed one, still locks up and it's not in the same place every time.

I replaced the remaining chip with the one I removed, same problem.

I replaced the hard drive with a blank drive and did a system recovery. Did the whole recovery, booted to windows and the locks up.

From my non computer trained eye, it appears there is something wrong with the motherboard.

But I want to get someone (who works on them) elses opinion.

Is it something I can fix or do I have a new target?

I just bought this computer not 8 months ago from a "friend". I paid more than I should have but that's not the point.

Anyone local that wants to examine it Just let me know,

I'm at a loss, I haven't lost any data, the hard drive still works and I can recover the data if I find there is something on there I must have (the one that is in the machine now is a "clean" drive, nothing on there to loose or recover.

[JeffL]

Sounds to me like you've done about everything. Have you noticed it getting excessively hot? Maybe hit the vents with some compressed air to try and clean it out. If it isn't overheating, and not having looked at it personally, I agree with your assessment that there is something wrong with the motherboard.

[trblmkr13]

If there is something wrong with the Motherboard your better off getting a new laptop

[dralarms]

Sounds to me like you've done about everything. Have you noticed it getting excessively hot? Maybe hit the vents with some compressed air to try and clean it out. If it isn't overheating, and not having looked at it personally, I agree with your assessment that there is something wrong with the motherboard.

Not hot as far as I can tell. Thanks for the help.

If there is something wrong with the Motherboard your better off getting a new laptop

Yes, therefore the new target comment.

[trblmkr13]

I have had a few go bad from the wear and tear of traveling

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yeah about all the companies charge so much for replacement laptop mobos, they are hardly ever economical to repair unless you get lucky and find a same-model laptop with a good mobo but some other fatal expensive problem. You can't get generic mobos as with desktop puters.

It can also be incredibly tedious to swap a mobo in a laptop. I'm not afraid of getting into electronic devices, but a lot of miniaturized gadgets nowadays are not designed in a fashion friendly to dissasembly/reassembly. Even being very careful, it isn't difficult to accidentally break some other important subassembly while trying to dissect and reassemble miniaturized gadgets.

Back when I was a kid in the 1950's a lot of kid toys, cars, robots, were japanese made of thin stamped sheet metal held together with folded tabs. Often they were kind of a mystery how to repair, because it looked like the things would have to already be disassembled before you could reach in and un-fold the metal tabs in order to disassemble them. Chicken and egg problem. Made you wonder how they ever put those toys together in the first place. Last times I've been inside laptops, miniature radios, MP3 players, Roomba robot vacuums, same deal. Sometimes I'll pull em apart just to see if I'd get lucky and fix it, but often get it partially disassembled, give it up as hopeless, chunk it in the trash.

Edited September 26, 2010 by Lester Weevils

[dralarms]

Oh, I've changed out MB's in a laptop before. Not fun. I just wanted to verify my findings before I shoot it.

[Oh Shoot]

Oh, I've changed out MB's in a laptop before. Not fun. I just wanted to verify my findings before I shoot it.

Is there not a self system check built into bios on that thing, something you'd access on boot, where you can run system mobo check?

- OS

[hkusp40cal]

It would not be a bad idea to open it up and hit the heatsinks with some canned air. Had a similar problem with a toshiba, it didn't seem hot but that was the cause. Unfortunately on mine the fan had died and I could not get a replacement. I was shocked at how crammed up with dust the heat sinks were inside.

[dralarms]

Is there not a self system check built into bios on that thing, something you'd access on boot, where you can run system mobo check?

- OS

Should be. I'll check

It would not be a bad idea to open it up and hit the heatsinks with some canned air. Had a similar problem with a toshiba, it didn't seem hot but that was the cause. Unfortunately on mine the fan had died and I could not get a replacement. I was shocked at how crammed up with dust the heat sinks were inside.

This thing is clean inside. Very unusual for a computer but the dust bunnys haven't found a way to make it their home.

[lunarpowered]

Let me make sure I have this right. Your issue is that: when Windows displays the log on screen, the system does not accept any keyboard inputs, correct?

First, what is the exact model of the Sony Vaio laptop?

Does the system respond to keyboard inputs before Windows loads (e.g. are you able to access the BIOS?) If not, Have you tried an external keyboard?

If the system responds to keyboard inputs before Windows loads have you tried viewing the tempatures in the BIOS, diagnostics, or alternative boot options such as safe mode?

You said you did a system recovery, which method did you use?

[dralarms]

Let me make sure I have this right. Your issue is that: when Windows displays the log on screen, the system does not accept any keyboard inputs, correct?

First, what is the exact model of the Sony Vaio laptop?

Does the system respond to keyboard inputs before Windows loads (e.g. are you able to access the BIOS?) If not, Have you tried an external keyboard?

If the system responds to keyboard inputs before Windows loads have you tried viewing the tempatures in the BIOS, diagnostics, or alternative boot options such as safe mode?

You said you did a system recovery, which method did you use?

No, what I said was it locks up at different points, and no it's not heat related, I just tried it again cold and the same thing.

Model PCG-9B3L

Yes, the keyboard is fine.

I did a complete system restore using factory restore disks. Only way to assure nothing else was interferring, even changed the hard drive out to do the restore on.

Oh and Ohshoot, not diagnostics in setup, earlier bios don't tell anything.

Bios dosn't tell anything about the system other than "what's here", early version of Phonix bios.

[lunarpowered]

Have you checked the system logs in Event Viewer?

[dralarms]

No, where?

[lunarpowered]

Go to Start --> Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Event Viewer.

[dralarms]

I have it booted to safe mode, Working for now (right this minute anyway)

Event viewer shows:

Error "netBt"

Error "dcom"

Error "dcom" again

error "service control manager"

And under applications

error "eventsystem"

error "vss"

Also 4 "warnings under this heading, 3 of them are "userenv" warnings

[Rightwinger]

my Dell laptop is having service manager issues as well. Has been since last Saturday. I get two SVC Host errors and then everything apparently works. Next one that happens I'll try for a screen shot. It shoots a message off to Micro soft but nothing for a fix.

[dralarms]

Well I rebooted it. Went all the way to where the screen goes blank right before the "sign in " page and froze.

Did it again and it froze just as soon as windows started.

Sorry piece of crap, I'm gonna introduce it to the judge.

[lunarpowered]

Could you post the Event ID's and General tab information associated with the errors?

What version of Windows are you running? (e.g. XP, Vista, 7)

EDIT: Ha, just saw your post about introducing it to the Judge, so I guess the above information is not needed.

[dralarms]

Could you post the Event ID's and General tab information associated with the errors?

What version of Windows are you running? (e.g. XP, Vista, 7)

It's XP home, factory install 2001 (welll that's the bios date and I just did a fresh install).

Error "netBt"

Error "dcom"

Error "dcom" again

error "service control manager"

And under applications

error "eventsystem"

error "vss"

dcom is the one that's coming up the most.

Category: none

Type: Error

Event id: 10005

User Nt authority\system

What ever it is it can't be run in "safe mode" so this error is not helping us, I'm creating this error trying to start something that does not work in safe mode.

Now the "service control manager has this:

the following boot start or system start driver {s} failed to load

AMDK7

DMIcall

Fips

I appreciate your help.

[lunarpowered]

Service Control Manager errors may cause system instability which will result in lock-ups. Do you have the Event ID for the Service Control Manager error?

[dralarms]

Sorry, missed that one.

Event id 7026

[lunarpowered]

Microsoft states the fix for that specific error is to update the system drivers.

Event ID 7026

Drivers for Sony Vaio PCG-FXA47 (PCG-9B3L)

Sony eSupport - PCG-FXA47 - Software Updates & Drivers

Let me know if that doesn't fix the issue you're experiencing with the system locking up.

[dralarms]

Microsoft states the fix for that specific error is to update the system drivers.

Event ID 7026

Drivers for Sony Vaio PCG-FXA47 (PCG-9B3L)

Sony eSupport - PCG-FXA47 - Software Updates & Drivers

Let me know if that doesn't fix the issue you're experiencing with the system locking up.

None of that info helps. Mine is a 9b3l and the fxa47 does not work.

I type in the 9b3l and nothing comes up, I type in the fxa47 and the drivers won't load because of thewrong model number.

Thanks for trying.

[lunarpowered]

Yeah, I couldn't find the 9B3L on Sony's website either which sure does make Sony look bad, but saw an article saying that it should be compatible with the FXA47.

You could try running Windows updates and making sure you are on Service Pack 3, but I'm guessing by tomorrow you'll be going skeet shooting with the laptop.