Nvidia G84m/G86m faulty chip happen to Vaio??

[6800gt]

I just wonder if anyone has the alleged graphic problem with your vaio series. I got AR51J with 8400m GT early this year. So far it works fine, but not sure it would die shortly :smileysad:. What's the sony's response?

origin story: All Nvidia G84 and G86s are bad
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/09/nvidia-g84-g86-bad

Channel Vendors Demand Graphics Cards Suppliers to Recall Potentially Faulty Nvidia GeForce Graphics Cards.
Resellers Want to Return Potentially Faulty Nvidia GeForce Graphics Boards to Makers
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/20080725123120_Channel_Vendors_Demand_Graphics_Cards_Supp...

[davbarro38]

Hi Guys,

I have a sony VGN-AR51J which is not listed in Sony's statement and with the same problem just over 2 years of low use, which is awful for the cost of laptop and expectation...

How should I go about reporting thesre together with all the other that are experiencing the problem with all 8XXX faulty cards. Seeing other peoples statements there seems no point to call, as they would not hear.

The best is taking to court like the case of the user with Comet U.K. I bet this post well printed makes any judge fume about Sony...

Let me know your views.

David

[markj1993]

Exactly the same problem:

VGN-AR51M - 20 months old

NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT GPU

Unable to start laptop - just comes up with vaio logo with coloured lines behind followed by coloured dots/lines on a black screen which freezes and the hard drive stops loading.

Is this the same problem? Is it in warranty for this problem?

I refuse to pay any more money to sony after a 20 month laptop which cost £800 is incapable of working properly. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Mark

[Thalamus.]

Hi Markj1993,

as  you can see by the statement below Sony have identified the range of  models that possibly have the affected NVIDIA chip installed,  unfortunately, according to Sony, it appears that your model is not  included in those models..

Sony  have released a statement confirming that some Vaio models can have   distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to   failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip.

The models concerned are as follows..

VGN-FZ11x, VGN-FZ18x, VGN-FZ21x, VGN-FZ31x, VGN-FZ38x
VGN-AR11x, VGN-AR21x, VGN-AR31x
VGN-C1Zx, VGN-C2Zx
VGC-LM1xx, VGC-LM2xx
VGC-LT1xx, VGC-LT2xx

[markj1993]

no chance of them bringing out further announcements as the newer model errors begin to be reported?

Afterall, i have seen quite a few posts now of people with the same or next model with the same problem so sony should be admitting to the problem and fixing it.

I just think it's pretty bad how my £800 lapotp lasts 20 months and the repair costs are basically the same even though this is a problem on behalf of nvidia and sony.

Any advice?

Thanks, Mark.

[Thalamus.]

no chance of them bringing out further announcements as the newer model errors begin to be reported?

I'm not aware of anything..:smileysad:

You could try contacting one of Sony's authorised repaires as recenty another Vaio owner provided feedback on some excellent service -

I have since been in touch with Laptop Hut of Hove in Sussex (one of  the authorised repairers listed) , who came back with a remarkably  helpful and honest appraisal:

This  is something we can help with and it sounds like the NVIDIA graphics  chipset has gone. Without seeing it we can't be 100%, but if it is the  graphics chip there is two ways of resolving the issue.

The  first is an expensive route with a 100% success rate, which is to  replace the system board which has the card attached. These are normally  in the region of £500-£600...

The  second option is to attempt a repair on the system board with something  called a reflow of the graphics chip. This has about an 80% success  rate and would cost £195.00. If this didn't work all you would pay is  £29.95 to cover the engineers time.

To find contact details for Sony Vaio support..

Open Vaio support, either by clicking Support at the top of this page or use the following link:Vaio support

Under Log-in option 2: Select your model from the drop down list.

Then click Log-In

Once logged select Get In Touch

Then Click on the Out of Warranty tab

[sirusse47]

Hi All

I have an SZ6, which Sony do not believe has a fault even though it contains the faulty chip. I rang the support line, who were next to no help, and ive been trying to get through via email support, with a similar experience.

Does anyone know the address for the head office of Sony Style (who I bought the laptop from) so that I can send them legal documents? My next step will be the small claims court, unfortunately, if they refuse to accept the problem. I will have to get an indipendant engineers report for the laptop, but with that I think I should have quite a strong case. Is there anyone else out there going through similar? Would nice to have second opinions etc.

Hopefully the threat of legal action will get noticed by someone who can actually sort this mess out.

[Thalamus.]

Hi sirusse47,

welcome to the Club VAIO Questions & Answers Forum,

Unfortuantely I don't know of an actual address for you write to but if you use the contact details below, whic I've copieds from the Sony Style UK site, hopefully someone from Sony Style will be able to provide you with the correct address..

Our Sales and Customer Service teams are happy to help.  We are keen to help but cannot assist with purchases from retailers other than Sony Style UK.

By Phone:

Sony Style Online Store: 0845 6000124

Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm, Saturday 9am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 5pm

Sony Style Terminal 5: 0330 440 4050

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

For general product enquiries please call our customer information centre on 0845 6000124

For all VAIO in-warranty enquiries please call 0870 240 2408

(Please note, in order to speak to an advisor you will need to provide your VAIO serial number)

For all Out of Warranty VAIO enquiries please call 0905 031 0006

(0870 charged at your local rate, 0870 charged at national rate 8p/min. 0905 charged at 35p/min)

By Email:

Please use our

support site to help answer your questions quickly or to email us directly.

[sirusse47]

Yep tried that - 01932 816000 to avoid expensive 0905 number, just ask for Vaio support. Also try

♫

customersupport.en@vaio-link.com as a direct email

[Thalamus.]

Surely if you ring this number they should be able to provide you with a postal address - Sony Style Online Store: 0845 6000124 Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm, Saturday 9am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 5pm

Failing that I'm not sure if this is any use, found at the bottom of Sony's privacy statement...

you can contact our UK Customer Information Centre:
Sony United Kingdom a division of Sony Europe Limited
Jays Close
Viables
Basingstoke RG22 4SB
Telephone: +44 (0)845 6000 124
Last Updated: 2010

[sirusse47]

Thanks thalamus, I will wait until Monday for a reply from email support otherwise do as you suggested.

If anyone else has the same problem with Nvidia graphics cards there are loads of other people (with not just Sony Laptops) trying to get it fixed here: http://www.nvidiadefect.com/nvidia-defect-main-forums.html