Laptop does nothing on startup

RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
edited June 2004 in Hardware
Hi Guys,

I have an old Sony Viao PIII I'm trying fix to sell. I was having a PCI bus conflict, so went to the Sony website to grab all the original drivers/BIOS, figuring I'd start from scratch.

In the process of loading the BIOS from the floppy it created, the computer shut down. When I restart it nothing happens. I tried removing the CMOS battery, to reset the BIOS, still nothing. Any Ideas? Am I hosed?

Comments

  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited June 2004
    Gauging the overwhelming response, I guess I'm hosed. :banghead: :bawling:
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited June 2004
    I think so. You can always get another bios chip if its socketed tho...
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited June 2004
    VAIO's are heavilly propietary, don't think I'll get that lucky
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited June 2004
    in my opinion vaios suck, no offense... from the several that I had to maintain... Id never buy one. Call sony see if they will warranty it...


    Good Luck

    Gobbles
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited June 2004
    www.badflash.com
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    RADA wrote:
    Hi Guys,

    I have an old Sony Viao PIII I'm trying fix to sell. I was having a PCI bus conflict, so went to the Sony website to grab all the original drivers/BIOS, figuring I'd start from scratch.

    In the process of loading the BIOS from the floppy it created, the computer shut down. When I restart it nothing happens. I tried removing the CMOS battery, to reset the BIOS, still nothing. Any Ideas? Am I hosed?

    TEST the CMOS battery to see if it is dead, please (less than about 2.5 V out of battery means it needs replacing). LOTs of the CMOS\Clock cells in laptops are backups and are not rechargeable. This is particularly an old-box problem. Also, check main battery to see if it is charged, and try charging it and reflashing with laptop running off house current via transformer hookups if flash does not work off freshly charged main battery with new CMOS backup cell in place. If the CMOS is not getting enough juice to retain the settings, you can get a totally corrupted CMOS table and if no juice or not enough through 3 V leg on computer, BIOS flash might fail with a good file used. I ALWAYS flash off UPS-regulated power input, and check batteries first thing if flash fails. IBM laptops can have TWO backups and a main battery, last time I got a fully dead laptop in, not only was main battery bad, but BOTH backup batteries were dead. Replacing all three resurrected laptop to normal.

    ALSO look and see if there is a CMOS or BIOS jumper or pin pad pair that needs to be set a certain way for flash to succeed, or if the software used TO fLASH WITH needs to be a specific version from the laptop mfr for your laptop. You could also try reflashing with an older BIOS flash file.

    Bad Flash, yes, but batteries can affect this also.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited June 2004
    Let's see.... I have all but refused to work with Sony laptops. My boss finally listened to my horror stories and will not authorize any Sony Laptops... YEAH. Why...
    1) Sony Warrantee’s suck monkey B@lls. 90 days if you do not return the warrantee card, one year if you do send the card in.
    2) Driver support stinks... If you need to upgrade the OS or use a different version (OEM to Volume License), their drivers are all mixed up.
    3) If a small part dies, the entire motherboard needs to be replaced (in most cases) and since the warrantee is so short, you pay BIG buck to do so.

    I like the features and the price and so do many of the users I support... Sony is really good at pushing the Technology limits and are one of the most cutting edge producers of laptops. But, since every new system has to be wiped and installed with a known version of OS, I spend 3 times as long on Sony's trying to get everything working... Now, lets talk LINUX... MY co-worker (Skryking) is a Linux Admin and he hate Sony's more than I do....

    Good luck RADA....
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