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...

[sirusse47]

Finally got an address after going into a Sony Shop and asking - this is where any legal paperwork etc should be directed:

Sony UK

The Heights, Brooklands

Weybridge

Surrey

KT13 0XW

Still hoping for a resolution that doesnt involve the small claims court but we will see. If anyone else is in the same boat make sure you keep a copy of everything you send to them, dated, and send everything recorded so it stands up in court

Simon

[Thalamus.]

Finally got an address after going into a Sony Shop and asking - this is where any legal paperwork etc should be directed:

Glad you finally found the address you were looking for..

[glommy]

My Vaio VGN AR51J graphics card has gone faulty as well.

It is quite clear that this is a common problem and sony ought to make a recall.

I visited the sony repair centre here in Kuala Lumpur and they told me I would need to change my whole motherboard and it would cost me appox GBP500.

I find this insulting considering that the fault is not due to their users but instead due to the manufacturers.

Has anyone else with the same problem come up with a solution?

[markj1993]

thanks sirusse, i will try that address too

no chance am i paying £500 to solve the problem when i can buy a new laptop elsewhere for less. Hopefully Sony will extend the warranty on all affected models soon.

[pablavo]

Hi folks,

I feel for all the folks who have had a problem with this fekin NVIDIA graphics chip! I'm even more empathetic with those who's model of Vaio has not been on the extended warranty list; people who have received terrible and rude customer service by Sony, especially when they interrupt a person constantly - during a premium rate call - to explain that 'you' have the 'wrong perspective' of the problem and that it's nothing to do with the graphics chip and that 'the batch of faulty chips are only included in the models listed for extended warranty.... aye right!!!

I think it's fairly obvious by the research that I've done and the forums I've read that this problem is wider than just the models that sony choose to list.  It seems too co-incidental to me that just under half of the people who create threads pertaining that their model of Vaio has 'went south' because of the graphics chip happen to be owners of Vaio not on the extended warranty list.

I have a VGN-AR51e which was working for two years before I experienced the generic symptom that most other people have experienced  with a faulty chip.  On researching this problem via the net I've read posts from about 12 other people with the same model of Vaio and lots more people with other models that are not on the extended warranty list.

I'm pretty clear about what my next course of action will be; obtaining an engineers report and going back to the retailer to demand that something sufficient be done for compensation.

This will be that last time I ever touch, look at or even consider a Sony product.  This is not mainly because they can't admit the problem is wider than the models listed but because their customer service is so abrasive, it's hard to bear - and this is not just in regards to the NVIDIA graphics problem

Thanks if you got this far in my post :smileyhappy:and good luck to everyone! even some of the people in the Sony contact centre

[coldavie11]

This is my opotunity to say how crap Sony as a company is.

I had a graphics chip set problem NIVIDA G84 & Sony waisted 17 months of my time before finaly replaceing my laptop with a VGN FW312J. The new computer has broken 3 times in the past twelve months, dead sceen pixcels, lost sound, blue screen issuse.

Three rules to remember when buying a laptop.

1) Dont buy Sony

2) Dont look at Sony

3) Forget Sony exsits.

NEVER TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT SONY, OR YOU WILL HAVE NO FREINDS.

[coldavie11]

Sony ! The word itsellf should make people laugh ....

SONY ..Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ...

[markj1993]

Still waiting on a reply to my letter... can anyone give any advice on how long they usually take to reply? if at all...

[manuelmarton]

I have a vaio fz31m,bought in february 2008 from sony and yesterday the ,what becomes now ,expected failure appeared.Vertical stripes windows does not load,dead screen,only usable using safe mode.After a bit of research i've reached the following conclusions:It is a fault of the famous nvidia card,therefore sony does not want to have anything to do with it,if your laptop is in warranty they will fix if not then you just ring and wait for letters.The problem itself seems to be resolved in two modes: replacing the motherboard or reflowing the graphics card chip.Now,my issue is that even if your laptop is fixed by warranty is actually not fixed at all.They simply replace the motherboard with another one with a faulty chip.That is not resolving the problem is just delaying it for another 2-3 years.During this time they expect you will consider buying another laptop and when the new board will fail again they will blame it on the age of the machine itself.The second solution,reflowing the chip,will sort out the problem for a longer period of time although this information comes from an engineer and not from real practice.So, in term of solutions for us we have this:we are lucky and still in warranty and get the thing done for free,we buy a new motherboard for 500£ and wait for it to die or we find some of these places where they do the actual fixing thing and hope for the best.

[markj1993]

3 weeks later and still no reply. Quite apparent that the Nvidia G8400M GT graphics card is faulty so next is to send a recorded delivery letter with a copy of the previous one. Not giving up on this one just yet for the amount I payed for just 18 months of use.

Staying away from any Nvidia graphics cards in future, and most likely Sony for their awful co operation with customers.

Mark.