[ste.srd]

Hi all,

 

I often used your wonderful blog in the past years, and this is my first topic. I have an old (2012) Sony Vaio SVE1511P1EW, Intel® Core™ i5-2450M Processor 2.5 GHZ, 4 GB ram. I have recently decided to invest some money to upgrade it, and I doubled the RAM adding a new 4 GB batch ( current total ram = 8 gb), I installed a SSD Samsung 85EVO 250 gb and I upgraded to windows 10 PRO. 

 

The laptop worked wonderfully fine until few days ago, when I tried to switch it on as usual: leds of battery and system were normally blinking, but HHD led was exceptionally blinking slow and repeatedly. I plug the battery, plug it off, test the ram ( try each one separately ect as suggested in many different discussions I found here) but situation didn't change. Fan goes on for a second, then all leds go off, then fan goes on again and leds blink, then it all goes off again. It's like the "miss some sort of bios start-up procedure3.

 

I then though about the possibility that the new SSD may be corrupted: i then took the hold HDD (on which i still had the operative system), plug it inside and miracle, IT ALL WORKED! I therefore ordered a new SSD, but in the meanwhile i tried again to switch the pc on and, again, NOTHING WORKED. 

 

I finally tested the SSD on an external drive case, and it worked perfectly. So the SSD isn't corrupted. 

 

Any idea suggestions?

 

thanks a lot for your time!!

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    ste.srd,

 

Could be a problem with the HDD/SSD contacts on the MB as in intermittent loss of contact.

 

Do you have access to another computer that has internet connectivity and a disk burner.

[phillpower2]

    ste.srd,

 

Could be a problem with the HDD/SSD contacts on the MB as in intermittent loss of contact.

 

Do you have access to another computer that has internet connectivity and a disk burner.

[ste.srd]

Hi Phill,

 

Thanks for your fast answer. As a matter of fact I'm now using my office pc which doesn't have a disk burner. What were you thinking?

 

thanks!

[phillpower2]

Hello ste.srd,

 

Was going to suggest burning a Puppy Linux CD to see if you could boot from that, you can create a bootable USB thumb drive instead though, see info here Put Lucid Puppy on a USB Flash Drive in Windows.

 

Puppy uses the system RAM to boot from and the reasoning behind suggesting its use is to see if the computer continues to run using Puppy, if it does it goes some way to pointing towards the HDD definitely being the cause of the present issue/s.

 

You are welcome btw 

[ste.srd]

Thanks, i will try now. Just one question: i don't think my pc has as first boot-setting USB ( i think it has dvd drive). Now, how can i change the bios setting if anything appears on my screen when i switch on the laptop? 

 

thanks a lot!

[phillpower2]

If you tap F2 to get into the BIOS when powering up, what boot options are you offered, external HDD or USB storage/device is what we are hoping for.

 

Btw, another reason why I prefer the CD option is because some (especially older) computers will not boot from a USB device.

[ste.srd]

Thanks for the suggestion. The problem is the following: I already try to enter bios with all possible different keys set ( F2, alt + F8, assist button on VAIO) but I didn't manage to enter the bios (screen stays black). is my laptop gone? ( i hope no now that i spend 150€ to upgrade it)

[phillpower2]

Apologies, I misread your reply #5 

 

If the screen stays black and the computer itself shuts down completely then you could be looking at motherboard failure and possibly a system short.

 

Does the notebook shut down completely as in no LEDs lit up etc.

 

While troubleshooting I would suggest that you remove both the SSD and main battery and use only the AC adaptor to power the notebook.

[ste.srd]

Hi Phil,

 

No probs and thanks for your support. When i plug the computer and press the on button, two leds ( system and energy/battery) blink for few seconds, while orange HDD led blinks slowly and intermittently.  After few seconds, everything goes off.

[phillpower2]

Hello ste.srd,

 

Thanks for the update 

 

See if the behaviour is the same with the SSD and main battery removed and get back to us please.

[ste.srd]

hi! just unplugged the battery and disassembled the ssd. The situation is the following/ for few seconds, after pressing the on button, led of power + led of wireless + led of ssd go on for a second; then fan starts, and dvd unit seems to "look for a disk". Then it all goes off, and it starts again the cycle. 

[phillpower2]

Apologies for the delay, not been around for a couple of days 

 

Just so that we have tried as much as we can, with the main battery and SSD removed, try repeating the initial tests that you did with the RAM and by powering up with no RAM inserted to begin with.

 

Not looking good at the moment I`m afraid as the only suggestions that I have left are to try another known good and compatible AC adapter and swapping out the CMOS battery which can be a quite difficult task and is often further than the average user should go.

 

The former you could do by taking the notebook to a local tech store and ask them to test the notebook, the latter more difficult as I cannot find a disassembly guide online, the Sony site here is completely useless.

[ste.srd]

Hi Phill,

 

thanks a lot for all your efforts and help. I checked a bit around and it seems that changing CMOS would really be over my current technical capabilities, so I will probably just look for another PC. Considered the fact that the SSD and the 4GB ram are almost new, what do you think about the buying a refurnished pc as one of these two, and then upgrade them? I'm looking for something portable, reliable, home-office use

 

https://www.tweedeha...rbished-laptops

 

https://www.tweedeha...30-14-inch.html

 

thanks!

 

Stefano 

[phillpower2]

Hello ste.srd,

 

Fully understand you not wanting to dismantle the notebook but would still try the other suggestions that I made in reply #12, you have at least then done as much as you can before potentially making any new purchase.

 

If purchasing a notebook from the selection at your links the ThinkPad L430 is the one I would go for, marginally faster CPU, larger HDD storage capacity** and the product itself is in better condition according to the rating.

 

** If swapping in your SSD you could use the notebooks HDD in an external USB enclosure or adaptor for backing up to and storing other data etc.

 

You are welcome btw 

[ste.srd]

Hi Phill, 

 

you right, let's try this desperate measure i looked a bit around, and i found this guide ( it looks extremely similar to my VAIO model).  https://www.ifixit.c...placement/72972

 

at step 8, Am i wrong or i do see the CMOS battery?

 

Thanks,

 

Stefano