Attention VGN-CS11 users and SONY!! Problem with FAN!

[Vamp1387]

Hi everyone!

If you have recently bought a new VGN-CS11 series notebook, I'd ask that you take a moment to read this post.

Since I unboxed the new notebook, I have been experiencing strange noises from the fan unit evey time it operates. Before, it used to be simply that every time the fan stopped working, it made a soft "growl" noise (probably due to some internal vibration) for a mere second or two. Recently, however, it has also begun to make a strange, barely audible "clicking sound" as the fan starts up and operates, accompanied by the "growl" at the end, like before. At first, I was led to believe that it was just the normal operating noise that the fan made (although quite annoying!), but due to these recent developments, I am more and more convinced that this is some problem or malfunction that perhaps, will only get worse with time.

Other CS11 users have already posted in the thread "Problem with fan!!" that they also experience this problem, and, from what I've been able to gather, it does not seem like an isolated problem... but this is what we need to confirm.

That is the purpose of this thread.

I would like to ask and encourage all CS11 users to post in this thread if they also experience the same "problem" with the fan (abnormal noises that are clearly distinguishable from normal operation) or anything fan-related, especially if you have experienced them since you bought the notebook and haven't done anything that could "provoke" them (like dropping the notebook or hitting it in some way, blocking the ventilation vents, etc...). This is to have a general scope that this is not an isolated problem that is only happening to a few, and that way, perhaps Sony will take an interest and take the necessary measures to correct this problem if this, in fact, turns out to be a generalised problem.

I have already created a new case with e-Support regarding this issue. Note that these are brand new laptops that have been out on sale for barely a month, and now would be a good time to correct any problems that may arise. If this turns out to be a common problem for most CS11 users, then we should all contact Vaio-Link or e-Support and report the problem, so that Sony will take this problem into consideration if enough people have it.

Remember: the sooner, the better!

Also, perhaps it would also be of interest that those CS11 users that DON'T experience this problem also post in this thread, to see how many DO and how many DON'T... it may be interesting to also know.

Ok... without taking any more of your time, I leave this thread to fellow CS11 users and to anyone that might be able to lend a helping hand. Thanks!!!

[Skyberia]

Hello People

My vaio fan has been making the same noise from day 1, it is that annoying little click-like noise, as heard on vamp's latest youtube link. I contacted sony e-support, they answered that this is a well known issue and I should have my laptop sent to them for repairs (I imagine what they mean is that they will change the fan with another from the same brand as they did with vamp's). So I decided not to deal with sony anymore. There are many computer genius people out there. I will find one and ask them if they can help. I am willing to pay some money to buy a good fan and have it replaced with sony's poor choice of a fan. I don't think that Sony technology is so complicated that only technicians who work for sony can repair a sony computer. Has anyone of you guys tried having the fan replaced, but not by sony? Good day to you all.

[Thalamus.]

They got the Notebook since thursday one week ago. Now i´m waiting to get any news from them...or better a quiet notebook ;o)

Hi Nutzer21,

what's the reason for delay.?

why did the retailer not just exchange your Vaio, did they not have any more CS series Vaio's in stock.?

[Thalamus.]

There are many computer genius people out there. I will find one and ask them if they can help. I am willing to pay some money to buy a good fan and have it replaced with sony's poor choice of a fan.

Hi Skyberia,

just be aware that arranging for a fan replacement by a non Sony technician WILL invalidate your Vaio's warranty..

[lewchenko]

I was contacted today by a nice chap from Sony. Ultimately they wanted me to send in my laptop for 'testing'. Im a little disappointed to be honest that despite ALL the problems having been reported to Sony, each repair centre still seems to have never heard of the issue.

It's my wife's laptop and she is reluctant to send it back, especially after people have gotten 'yet another faulty CS fan back'. I think Sony need to acknowledge the issue and state explicitly what is needed to resolve it.

So far it has cost Sony dearly.. we need a new HDTV.. Wife says over her dead body will it be a Sony one now. I need a new work laptop, and I'll be damned if Im getting another Sony model after this. I feel bad for buying her this laptop for christmas now... and Im supposed to be the IT Tech guy around our house.

So we are waiting to see if Sony actually can learn from all the other faulty CS models out there and tell us exactly what will be done to the laptop before she sends it in for repair.

Incidentally, this thread is now 17 pages long...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=4290263&posted=1#post4290263

I have no idea why Sony repair centres are claiming not to have heard of this issue... the mind boggles.

[Nutzer21]

Hi Thalamus,

Today my store said, they sent it to Sony to repair.
The store´s website says, they still have CS11 in their stock.
But perhaps it´s not the solution to the Problem if they send me a new one.
Possibly new <> quiet ;o)

And also Vaio esupport contacted me today, (reopend my Case! - Thank you!) to ask, what happened in between.
So i said that the Notebook is on the way to them.
Perhaps they now got a solution. We´ll see. Next week tuesday/wednesday the notebook should be back here.
I´ll report then.

[hollow]

You guys seem to complain a lot about the clicking noise. Think techs will replace your fan and you will be happy?
The clicking is a minor issue to me. The problem is this unbelievable fan driver. Read Vamp1387s old post for description: http://club.vaio.sony.co.uk/clubvaio/GB/en/forum/viewthread?thread=59310&offset=25#275325

--> This fan only knows full throttle or inactivity. <--

Working with the CS is like sitting in a room with a vacuum cleaner periodically turned on and off. Maybe not such a problem if you are watching noisy videos or stuff like that. But what if you have to concentrate on your work?
Or think of this: I keep my laptop in my bedroom. While I'm asleep would be a nice time for jobs like virus scanning? Ha! No way!!

What's that got to do with the clicking noise. Two different things isn't it?
I have my own theory (maybe I'm wrong...):
- Sony manufactures a cheap fan into CS to save some bucks.
- As assumed by bio-bauer at forum.notebookreview.com http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=312303&page=14
the fan "has a ty resonance frequency, so when it accelerates and stops, the rotation speed passes through that frequency for a short moment which causes the krrrrrr."
That frequency would occur at rather low RPM as we all know. (starting/stopping of the fan)
- At some point of quality checking or whatever techs find out that the fan does a hell of a noise. Too late for retreat because production is already running.
- However some bright individual knows a quick and cheap fix: "Adjusting" the fan driver. Once a specified temperature is reached the fan goes off 100 percent, which means that the critical 'noisy' frequency is passed only for a very short time. This is the clicking we hear.

Speculation! What do you think?

In my opinion Sony has to offer a proper software patch as soon as possible that will deal with the fan issue. (which won't be that hard to program!!)
If necessary they will have to inform people that they will have to send their laptop in for fan replacement if they install the patch. So what! This is SONY for Christ's sake.
I cannot ward off the thought that there are people at SONY who know exactly what we are talking about and who are waiting for this thread to slowly die.
What about this new model series of CS. How do those fans behave? If they fixed the issue they owe us a possible fan replacement AND A SOFTWARE PATCH! SONY people: No need for people sending in laptops for 'testing'. If you want to know about this problem simply examine a regular model from the shops.

[coral_pink]

hello,i've finally been contacted by a very nice sony guy who sugested me to send it to sony assistance,so i'm still thinking about it since i need my computer these days..

[Thalamus.]

hello,i've finally been contacted by a very nice sony guy who sugested me to send it to sony assistance,so i'm still thinking about it since i need my computer these days..

Hi Coral pink,
I'm glad to read that you've finally been contacted by Sony Vaio support..

[hugpache]

hello,i've finally been contacted by a very nice sony guy who sugested me to send it to sony assistance,so i'm still thinking about it since i need my computer these days..

Hi Coral pink,
I'm glad to read that you've finally been contacted by Sony Vaio support..

Yeah that's great but doesn't change the fact that Sony still needs to aknowledge there's a serious problem with all the VAIO CS fans else we will keep sending our laptops to them only to get the dust taken off the fan and fan duct, which doesn't solve the problem..

[Thalamus.]

Yeah that's great but doesn't change the fact that Sony still needs to aknowledge there's a serious problem with all the VAIO CS fans else we will keep sending our laptops to them only to get the dust taken off the fan and fan duct, which doesn't solve the problem..

hpacheco,

I don't work for Sony but arranging for Vaio support to contact the CS members is at least a step in the right direction..