Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes

86Cutty · 06-24-2009, 11:08 PM

I have a friend that has a Sony Vaio that's running Vista. I dont know what model it is, but she's had it for less than a year. She said that it boots up just fine and after about 5 minutes of use it just freezes up. She thinks it might be a virus because she hasent updated it in a while. She baught a Anti-Virus called Kaspersky Anti-Virus (2009 I think). She also tried to run her laptop in Safe Mode and it still does the same thing. Boots up to the Desktop, and after about 5 minutes it freezes.
I'm not great with Vista or PC's, but if it was a virus it wouldnt freeze up in Safe Mode, would it? Anyways, does anyone have any ideas on what could be the problem, or what she can do to fix it? I told her to try System Restore to see if that would help because she might've installed something that may have made it act this way. She said that she'll get back to me tomorrow.

**TriggerFinger** · 06-25-2009, 06:34 PM

Test HDD and RAM first for any hardware errors. Use Memtest86+ for the RAM and use the HDD maker's diagnostic utility to test the hard drive.

Grayhouse · 06-27-2009, 02:16 AM

I have been running my new PC for a month without any major problems. However last wednesday (24-06-09 Australian time) my system did an update Automatically - despite choosing "check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them".

My system then started freeze with 2-5 minutes of booting. Intially it seem like a virus but trend internet security 2009 did not find anything so I rebuilt the system from the original OEM disk (vista x64 sp1).

The first attempt I installed SP2 from DVD dsik and started finalising updates - when done system frooze.

Second attempt re-install again from OEM - then create a manual restore point prior to any update web or disk - tried updates via Web and again system frooze.

Finally got system restored the manually create pre-update config and system run OK

No solution yet!!!!

86Cutty · 06-27-2009, 07:15 PM

Well, I talked to my friend again and she said that when she tried to turn the laptop on it worked just fine. It didnt turn off after 5 minutes or anything. She didnt do anything to it either. When she noticed that it was working fine she quickly updated all of her stuff. (Windows updates, and her virus scanner). She told me that if it happens again she'll let me know.

I think it might happen again. I mean, why would it suddenly be fixed when she didnt make any changes to it? Maybe it's a hardware issue, like her HDD, the Processor, or something like that that is slowly failing. Idk, but I guess when her laptop starts to mess up again, I'll be sure to try some of the suggestions that was mentioned. :D

**TriggerFinger** · 06-28-2009, 10:31 AM

Well that is good to know. Do keep us posted should it happen again.

Grayhouse · 06-28-2009, 08:38 PM

I have tried using Windows 7 - it does not freeze but was going sluggish

Now I run Desktop (intel i7 processor) which is by a Battery UPS system where the battery run the PC and the battery is charging when main power is on- this means if power drops or is lost i am already on battery power still at full strength.

In this respect i am the same as laptop which has a battery.

what does this mean?? Vista appear for some reason now to be throttling back my clock speed to as little as 5%- that is instead of having an I7 @ 3.20 Ghz i am getting i7 @ 160Mhz

Solution @
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-734...sageID=2652433

86Cutty · 06-28-2009, 10:03 PM

Sorry Grayhouse. About your last two posts; I dont exactly understand what you're saying. Are you talking about some other issue that your laptop/PC was having, or are you talking about the same problem my friend is having and throwing out ideas on what she can do to get her laptop fixed?

Grayhouse · 06-29-2009, 03:30 AM

possibly same issue (freezing) - due to the laptop having a battery - the power management system on your friend laptop slows up the main processor (CPU) to conserve power when laptop is idle. It then speed it back when laptop is being used, this is allow laptop to get maximum usage from a single charge. eg. like reving a car engine to get need speed.

A update or change to the laptop can cause this management system to misbehave. Slow the CPU to a point where Vista wil freeze even if mains power is connected.

The solution this problem can be done by following the instruction from the following link http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-734...sageID=2652433

06-24-2009, 11:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
86Cutty Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 34 OS: XP	Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes I have a friend that has a Sony Vaio that's running Vista. I dont know what model it is, but she's had it for less than a year. She said that it boots up just fine and after about 5 minutes of use it just freezes up. She thinks it might be a virus because she hasent updated it in a while. She baught a Anti-Virus called Kaspersky Anti-Virus (2009 I think). She also tried to run her laptop in Safe Mode and it still does the same thing. Boots up to the Desktop, and after about 5 minutes it freezes. I'm not great with Vista or PC's, but if it was a virus it wouldnt freeze up in Safe Mode, would it? Anyways, does anyone have any ideas on what could be the problem, or what she can do to fix it? I told her to try System Restore to see if that would help because she might've installed something that may have made it act this way. She said that she'll get back to me tomorrow.

06-25-2009, 06:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,847 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes Test HDD and RAM first for any hardware errors. Use Memtest86+ for the RAM and use the HDD maker's diagnostic utility to test the hard drive. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

06-27-2009, 02:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
Grayhouse Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista x64	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes I have been running my new PC for a month without any major problems. However last wednesday (24-06-09 Australian time) my system did an update Automatically - despite choosing "check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them". My system then started freeze with 2-5 minutes of booting. Intially it seem like a virus but trend internet security 2009 did not find anything so I rebuilt the system from the original OEM disk (vista x64 sp1). The first attempt I installed SP2 from DVD dsik and started finalising updates - when done system frooze. Second attempt re-install again from OEM - then create a manual restore point prior to any update web or disk - tried updates via Web and again system frooze. Finally got system restored the manually create pre-update config and system run OK No solution yet!!!!

06-27-2009, 07:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
86Cutty Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 34 OS: XP	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes Well, I talked to my friend again and she said that when she tried to turn the laptop on it worked just fine. It didnt turn off after 5 minutes or anything. She didnt do anything to it either. When she noticed that it was working fine she quickly updated all of her stuff. (Windows updates, and her virus scanner). She told me that if it happens again she'll let me know. I think it might happen again. I mean, why would it suddenly be fixed when she didnt make any changes to it? Maybe it's a hardware issue, like her HDD, the Processor, or something like that that is slowly failing. Idk, but I guess when her laptop starts to mess up again, I'll be sure to try some of the suggestions that was mentioned. :D

06-28-2009, 10:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,847 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes Well that is good to know. Do keep us posted should it happen again. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

06-28-2009, 08:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Grayhouse Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista x64	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes I have tried using Windows 7 - it does not freeze but was going sluggish Now I run Desktop (intel i7 processor) which is by a Battery UPS system where the battery run the PC and the battery is charging when main power is on- this means if power drops or is lost i am already on battery power still at full strength. In this respect i am the same as laptop which has a battery. what does this mean?? Vista appear for some reason now to be throttling back my clock speed to as little as 5%- that is instead of having an I7 @ 3.20 Ghz i am getting i7 @ 160Mhz Solution @ http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-734...sageID=2652433 Last edited by Grayhouse; 06-28-2009 at 08:50 PM.

06-28-2009, 10:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
86Cutty Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 34 OS: XP	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes Sorry Grayhouse. About your last two posts; I dont exactly understand what you're saying. Are you talking about some other issue that your laptop/PC was having, or are you talking about the same problem my friend is having and throwing out ideas on what she can do to get her laptop fixed?

06-29-2009, 03:30 AM	#8 (permalink)
Grayhouse Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Vista x64	Re: Sony Vaio freezes after about 5 minutes possibly same issue (freezing) - due to the laptop having a battery - the power management system on your friend laptop slows up the main processor (CPU) to conserve power when laptop is idle. It then speed it back when laptop is being used, this is allow laptop to get maximum usage from a single charge. eg. like reving a car engine to get need speed. A update or change to the laptop can cause this management system to misbehave. Slow the CPU to a point where Vista wil freeze even if mains power is connected. The solution this problem can be done by following the instruction from the following link http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-734...sageID=2652433