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General discussion

Vista Home will not boot

May 26, 2010 9:56AM PDT

I have a VAIO VGN FZ455E with Home Vista. Earlier today when i turned it one and got all kinds of crazy multi-color squares and finally the windows screen came on with an extremely low resolution. So low I could not use the programs one I got them on. The screen was so enlarged i could not navigate it.

One time i pressed F8 and was able to get it to boot by using the last good startup option. but after the computer was on for a while it went back to low resolution.

I have to turn off with the power switch.

Now with F8 I can access the boot options but when i select one (any one) a grey screen comes on with a fat arrow but stays there.

Is this a boot problem? I made a syster recovery disk shortly after I got the computer. Does that have a boot on it. And if so how do i access it?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Discussion is locked

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Sad news.
May 26, 2010 10:05AM PDT
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What does that mean?
May 26, 2010 11:12AM PDT

I have the recovery disk I made fortunately when i got the laptop, and am running a rescue data option that is on the disk. So far I am able to specifiy which data files i want to rescue to an external disk i connect to and the recovery process looks like it is running. There is about 39GB of data so don't know how long it will take.

I googles 8400m as you suggested, but I'm still confused I don't understand what the chip does and what the fault is about. Is it the video that is the problem? Like maybe what the video problem I am seeing?

Thanks.

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Yes.
May 26, 2010 11:19AM PDT

From that google you can read about the 8400M failures and your post is like the other thousands. I've found that if the machine can run for a short time we can extend that by placing it on top of a fan or cooling pad. But the failure looks to be fatal as we replace the motherboard.
Bob

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Responsibility
May 26, 2010 11:59AM PDT

Has sony or NIVIDA taken responsibility for this problem?

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Sorry.
May 26, 2010 12:41PM PDT

But there are some thousands of posts about this. I only wish the news was better. Did you keep it under warranty?

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I guess now i'm sorry too
May 26, 2010 12:47PM PDT

Why, of course not. Why would I keep something under warranty made by Sony? Sad

At least it looks like i am getting all my data file off.


Thanks

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Sony was not the only one to get burned by a chip maker.
May 26, 2010 9:08PM PDT

Look at this google DV6000 RECALL.

That one has many ten thousand or more machines bricked by a design flaw. Really sad how this and the BAD CAPS (google that) has created loss and grief for so many.
Bob