Ok i got a Sony Vaio vpcee2e1e laptop which has developed problems.. 1. sometimes no bios screen and no hdd activity. 2. sometimes has bios screen then no activity. 3. sometimes has activity and boots into windows and works great. Ive tried electrostatic discharge. Replaced CMOS battery. Replaced memory for working one (was ok for a while then same problem persists). Has anyone any ideas what might be causing this problem
I am not a hardware technician anymore, but I've so many experiences with this problem, and I can advise you about that. In a first moment, it is an unstable motherboard problem if you've replaced the CMOS battery and the Memory. Unstable hardware part indicates that some area is with connection problems, in other words, it can be a lot of reasons, but in the most cases, is 'cold hardware'. Cold hardware can be solved with some procedures, but if you think that is hard or you have not sure of the solution, please send it to a hardware specialist. For all cases, we need of make a cleaning on the motherboard, removing all dust with a thin brush slightly in all the component. Is needed to fully remove the motherboard of the computer to do it surely. If persists, we need of apply a layer of isopropyl alcohol on all the motherboard to make a full cleaning removing all traces of dirt on the component. Sometimes, is needed of plunge the part on the solution. The Isopropyl Alcohol consists in remove all dust and corrosion that is preventing the cross motherboard connection with all the device. In 90% of the cases, hardware intermittence comes of the motherboard. Processor and the memory or cable / part connections takes only 10% of the problems with this prognostic.
It isn't abnormal with 'Cold Motherboards'. In the most of cases, it works fine when boot up without crashes or blue screens. Brazilian guys that rent computers usually don't worry with it on desktops. Just apply some minutes of hot hairdryer on the part, and it boots and works on all the day. The heat makes the system to boot up because the burning of the components that are with communication problems across the motherboard.
Ok Josh i dismantled everything and cleaned, but still the same problem.. EDIT: Im thinking maybe its a graphics issue ?
Do you've cleaned with the isopropyl alcohol? I really don't believe that this problem is from the Video Chip of your device. In a first moment, defective graphics chip exhibit problems in the image displaying wrong colors / unclear images or crashing and restarting the system because of GPU problems.
Josh this laptop is fairly new and hardly ever been used, its immaculate inside with no sighs of dirt/dust..
Alphawaves sir, why on earth would you go buy a Sony Vaio to begin with ? Didn't the case shocking incident, exploding batteries and horror stories of customer service turn you off ? Having had a terrible experience in the 00's with Compaq, the issues you have are mostly board issues as Josh pointed out. Did you try posting without the battery plugged in, sometimes bad batteries can cause post issues too.
It was given to me R2, tried without battery also (same problem). EDIT: I can now confirm this problem started when memory was removed and replaced with memory from a hp laptop..
It doesn't matter talking about cold components. It just can occurs or also can be a problem since the manufacture. I will let you to know some things that can cause intermittence problems on the laptops: - Connection Problems - A flat cable can have oxidized inside the connectors and can be the guilty of all. - Memory Problems - Is very hard to find intermittence problems involving memories. Commonly if the memory is incompatible, just never boots or crashes on the use. - HDD Problems - Really is hard but possible. Commonly a deffective HDD not works properly, but in extremely cases it can cause problems inside the boot. - GPU Problems - Can cause problems on the boot, but commonly the computer really crashes and restarts every time or / and displays incorrect graphics. - Processor Problems - Really hardest but not impossible. A deffective processor can cause problems on the boot even if it's running fine on the boot. - Minor Devices - Also DVD / Blu-Ray writers or Modem / WIFI internal devices can cause problems on the boot when it isn't working properly. As I said, 90% of intermittence problems are really 'motivated' by the Motherboard. Intermittent computer can be distinguished as a device that sometimes boots-up and works without any problem when is powered on, in other words, all the component works fine when it boots, showing that there is no defective part, but cold that is intermittent and works whenever it want.
I really think, but not always sure of that.. Really testing is the way, but my estimative based on my hard work is 90% for intermittence problems. Is common this problems in motherboards and can be fixed without buy another component. If you can physically test your motherboard, simply removing all the components as the DVD / Blu-Ray devices, HDD and WIFI adapters, only keeping the necessary for the boot, that is the Processor + Motherboard + Memory. Then you can test it at different times and see if it always boots fine or sometimes not display anything. If your boot average is 100%, the problem isn't the motherboard, then you can insert your HDD and see again, DVD and again, until the faulty component and replace it with another using the same model. It can take time but you'll be sure on what are the dead component on your laptop.