Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Vaio Laptop having Problem

Sep 4, 2016 12:08PM PDT

My laptop is showing problems on display. Below is the link to video of problem.
https://youtu.be/ZVPF6yOfy7c
Details are as follows:
Laptop is 6 years old and the problem started a few days ago.
The display freezes some times during use and than restarts but after windows logo appear while restarting, the laptop reboots again showing different visual effects and vertical lines.
Sometimes the problems goes away and returns on the same day or next day.
I thought the problem must be with graphics card.
But I restored the C drive of laptop to factory condition first using recovery disks that I created when I bought the laptop.
But the problem started again the next day.
Than I restored the C Drive again using the Recovery Partition on HDD of laptop, after which the problem went away for a week. Than the problem started again.
Now I have restored the complete system to Factory condition and waiting to see if the problem will return.
Now I think the problem is with software maybe as the problem goes away when C drive is restored to factory condition.

Does anyone know what is wrong with the laptop?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Tell us about your cleaning with canned air.
Sep 4, 2016 12:17PM PDT

Also, renewing thermal paste.
Dafydd.

- Collapse -
cleaned only twice in sixe years
Sep 4, 2016 10:20PM PDT

I have cleaned the internal parts & motherboard only twice in 6 years, only when laptop was heating too much and fan was running very fast.
I dont know about thermal paste. The hinges of the laptop were replaced by guys at laptop repair shop a 5-6 months back.

- Collapse -
Answer
That's not a good sign.
Sep 4, 2016 12:28PM PDT

As noted I want to read about your 6 year cleaning regimen. Over the years I changed to 1st of the month since that meant if I forget, no big deal. There are a lot of PC/laptop owners that do nothing and pay the price. 6 years isn't bad but let's hear your routine.

There is usually no graphics card in laptops (widely discussed) but if this was mine it would get a deep clean and the heatsink compounds replaced.

- Collapse -
Internal parts cleaned only 2-3 times in 6 years
Sep 4, 2016 10:24PM PDT

I have cleaned the internal parts & motherboard only twice in 6 years, only when laptop was heating too much and fan was running very fast.
I dont know about thermal paste. The hinges of the laptop were replaced by guys at laptop repair shop a 5-6 months back.
My laptop has a dedicated 1 gb graphics card.
Laptop model is Sony Vaio VPCEB16FG

- Collapse -
You maintain it has a card.
Sep 5, 2016 8:04AM PDT

I can't find a card for sale for this model. It looks like the graphics is on the main board.

Since you don't know about thermal paste, time to consider either learning (there are plenty of youtubes) or have a shop try a deep clean and thermal paste repair.

6 years isn't bad. Next time try keeping on top of the maintenance.

- Collapse -
thanks for suggestions
Sep 5, 2016 9:31AM PDT

My laptop specs say 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM dedicated video memory. I dont have much technical knowledge about hardware handling. So I am kind of worried that I may mess up the problem even more.
By the way thanks for suggestions.

- Collapse -
That's different.
Sep 5, 2016 9:37AM PDT

You wrote card a few times so I take your word for that. So few laptops have an actual card but a few do so when someone tells me it has a card, I don't disagree unless I find a service manual or see the machine.

You can't break a broken machine. The heatsink work looks hard but as I've done so many over the years the only hard step is having the owner sign a disclaimer. It is 6 years old and even minor surgery can be the last thing you may do on it.

But it is well known that the compound can dry and crack and produce issues like what you show.

Stay inside your comfort zone if you must.

Post was last edited on September 5, 2016 2:05 PM PDT

- Collapse -
another related question
Sep 5, 2016 1:34PM PDT

I have a question.. The display problem goes away as soon as I Restore C drive to its original factory condition. But once the problem returned after a day and another time when I restored C drive recently the problem went away, but returned after a week. Can it be a software problem.. Is it possible that my Recovery Partition oh HDD can get corrupted. I have restored the C drive using recovery partition.

- Collapse -
Sure.
Sep 5, 2016 2:07PM PDT

But you are in control of drivers. If you elect to install a driver from Microsoft, then your choice. I don't use Microsoft drivers unless it's working.

As to the corrupted question, absolutely. The question about backup and why is decades old. No PC owner today goes without backups and a way to get their machine reloaded. Well some, but they eventually pay for that.

- Collapse -
replaced thermal paste
Sep 7, 2016 12:17AM PDT

I replaced the thermal paste last night on Processor and GPU. The old paste was hard as rock and was also cracked. Used isopropyl alcohol and Q-tips to clean the old paste. The laptop booted good at night, also did some work and browsed videos. But the problem returned this morning. Is it possible that ram may have gone bad?

- Collapse -
More likely the GPU has failed.
Sep 7, 2016 9:03AM PDT

It works cold so all that means is that it's become heat sensitive.

If this was mine I'd get in there one last time to see if the heat sink lifted off since sometimes a retainer or what they use does that. I do not have your model or a service manual so I have to share what I would do from past experiences.

- Collapse -
web link to my laptop details
Sep 7, 2016 11:19AM PDT
- Collapse -
I can't find the service manual.
Sep 7, 2016 11:30AM PDT

It's rare to see such but I use that to see if there is a part I can replace.

As much as I hope for the usual to help, it appears this would need a new motherboard. Those cost as much as a new laptop today.

- Collapse -
is gpu replaceable
Sep 7, 2016 11:31AM PDT

Is it possible to replace the gpu??

- Collapse -
Yes. But costly.
Sep 7, 2016 11:37AM PDT

The repair center to do this on mainboards is going to have a rather expensive SMT workstation plus qualified personal and then the time spent finding the GPU chip. Figure quite a few hundred even if you found such a shop.

I looked at Ebay and found no mainboards or complete laptops of this model. It's time to call it the end if a redo of the heatsinks doesn't bring it back.

Did you try Linux on it? Sometimes the generic drivers don't tax the GPU and it let's it live on for a time.

- Collapse -
Only have one option
Sep 7, 2016 1:45PM PDT

I think I have only one option to try to save this laptop. I need to take laptop to technician.. Lets see what he says. In India the service charges are not that high. The question is will it be possible to change the gpu or will it need to change the entire motherboard. Shouldn't the companies make a removable gpu, for times like this.

- Collapse -
You're thinking of what we do for Desktops.
Sep 7, 2016 2:52PM PDT

NO. Laptops are made for small size, battery power and more. It is not a good idea to put parts on cards as the price would go up and up.

You are going to learn a deep expensive lesson if you take it to the shop.

I find folk that do this lose the laptop altogether. They get burned. I guess this is how most learn.

I'd save my files, sell it off and go shopping. Even if used.

- Collapse -
motherboard
Sep 7, 2016 9:16PM PDT

Ok, so if I can get a new motherboard for the laptop at a reasonable price, will it be a good idea.

- Collapse -
No.
Sep 7, 2016 9:50PM PDT

Here the price of the mainboard and labor is now over what new laptops can be found for.

- Collapse -
price and life
Sep 7, 2016 10:21PM PDT

I bought this laptop for around 50000 INR.
So if I can get new motherboard and lablour charges for under 10000 INR with 1 year warranty, will it a be bad deal. I mean not just moneywise but also system durability and reliability wise.

- Collapse -
At 6 years other parts are beyond service life.
Sep 8, 2016 9:10AM PDT

Here once you go past 4 years, each year is gravy. You are years past service life and have a major failure.

It doesn't matter what I write as you are set on repair. Good luck and I wish you the best.

- Collapse -
Thanks...
Sep 9, 2016 6:17AM PDT

Thanks for all your help.

- Collapse -
Answer
need the full model number and os
Sep 4, 2016 1:19PM PDT

check the computer manufacturers help and support section and see if they have some sort of diagnostic utility. If they do, run it.

- Collapse -
Sony Vaio VPCEB16FG
Sep 4, 2016 10:27PM PDT

Sony Vaio VPCEB16FG. Windows 7 came preinstalled along with Vaio and third party softwares.

- Collapse -
sony vaio vpceb16fg
Sep 5, 2016 1:01AM PDT

I already ran vaio hardware diagnostics. There was no problem found in its results. My vaio came preinstalled with Windows 7.

- Collapse -
Re: 6 years old
Sep 5, 2016 2:49AM PDT

Then, if an external monitor does the same thing as the internal monitor, it looks like you need a new laptop.