Is the Sony VAIO K series really defective/buggy?

[Kei]

This is totally serious here! Is the K series really defective?!

I can't stand it anymore. My PCG-K215B suddenly restarts itself. And also after my ultimate clean recovery (wiping every trace of past data and any viruses if there was any), the system after 1-2 days freezes itself. JUST FREEZES, and when with sound playing at back, the sound simply halts and keeps stuttering repeatingly.
I mean I absolutely cleaned it, a total wipe out, and not installing any other program onto it (just Ad-aware, Winamp, Nero, Spysweeper, and Netgear wireless card).

Seriously, is the K series bugged up?

[kee-lo_]

As Tyger said, it's best seeing Trading Standards.

[slippymac]

mappyuk, I have exactly the same problem as yourself. My K115Z freezes randomly, mainly after being on for a few hours whilst connected to my wireless router but whilst doing nothing. Mine is getting collected on Monday but I'm afraid that they won't be able to replicate the problem especially if like you say they won't have the machine connected using the WIFI card. I'm using a Belkin ADSL modem router, what hardware are you using to connect to the internet?

[mappyuk]

slippy we will need to stick together to get this sorted. you can email me at mike@monkeyweb.co.uk, could you tell me what your case number is. Mine is 1317084. We should refer to each others to prove it is not isolated as they will claim it is.

They will connect wirelessly but only to another computer, they wont connect to the net.

I have connected to a Netgear, Belkin and D-Link router and had the same problem with freezing. Please email me and let me know how you get on. I am away for a week but will keep in touch when I get back. I'm in the mood for a fight now!

Good Luck

Mike

[kee-lo_]

Yeah stay in a posse and they won't be able to touch you.

[mappyuk]

mappyuk, I have exactly the same problem as yourself.  My K115Z freezes randomly, mainly after being on for a few hours whilst connected to my wireless router but whilst doing nothing.  Mine is getting collected on Monday but I'm afraid that they won't be able to replicate the problem especially if like you say they won't have the machine connected using the WIFI card.  I'm using a Belkin ADSL modem router, what hardware are you using to connect to the internet?

I think I might try it on a seperate pcmcia wireless card to see if that makes any difference. If I can get it to work minus the internal wireless LAN that would be at least workable.

[kee-lo_]

Hmm yeah that would be a workaround.

[mappyuk]

Ok, I've bought a US Robotics PCMCIA card and have permanantly disabled the internal wifi. Cross fingers this might fix it. I'll keep you posted...

[mappyuk]

Ok, I've bought a US Robotics PCMCIA card and have permanantly disabled the internal wifi. Cross fingers this might fix it. I'll keep you posted...

Nope, two freezes so far.

I'm thinking about testing wired internet connection to see if that causes the problem too but there seems no point putting up with a laptop that has no wireless connectivity.

[Kei]

Say Mappyuk, I think I'm gonna end up in the same spot as you. I've sent my K215B to Sony on the 3rd Sept, and they've still gotta get started on the repairs (if any).
Like you, my restarts (for you, freezes) happen when I'm online. I use a Netgear WG511 PCMCIA card with a Netgear DG834G wireless modem/router. Apparently all of the restarts have happened when I'm online. But to test if it's a wireless card fault, I switched the card to another same WG511 card and still got the same results.

Thing is, is that I'm hardly ever offline, so determining whether it's a wireless connection fault (or a PCMCIA slot defect) is difficult to point out. Also I've tried a direct ethernet wire connection, and I'm not going to because my restarts could vary with intervals of between 3 hrs to 3 days.
So I'm not going gonna use my laptop near the phone in an uncomfortable position whilst using it for 3 days straight.

[Foxhound]

I am really anxious to know how this all ended? Did ya got it fixed? Refund? Still living with the problem?