Possible driver updates needed

[hardy99]

LAPTOP DATA:
Model: VGN-NW20EF/S
Serial number: 2750**** 500****
Service Tag: C602****
Windows 7 x64
Pentium Dual Core T4300

I am using this laptop for my PhD and I would be very grateful of any advice to resolve these issues.  I have tried to get sony support but every avenue has failed and now I am out of warentee.  Their navigation indicates you can email them but then does 'not' provide email/webform after one follows the navigation path!!

BACKGROUND:
I have recently had frequent blue screen followed by an failed restart attempt resulting in a dos message cannot find operating system.

A power off and power on resolves this on every occasion.

An examination of the dump file reveals that on every occasion the executable at fault is either iastor.exe or dxgkrnl.sys.

iastor.exe appears to be an intel driver for Intel(R) ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller, however an attempt to update this driver (succeptable to crashing the entire os) indicates the driver is already the best choice!!

dxgkrnl.sys I understand is the Microsoft DirectX system driver file and crashing can be related to not having an upto date graphic driver.  However an attempt to update this driver (v8.15.10.1852) indicates the driver is already the best choice!!

I see a lot of Intel drivers related to the elements in Device Manager so I run Intels own driver update too, however none of the intel drivers and devices are detectable and the cause suggested by Intel is that Sony have adapted these drivers.  I therefore go to the sony site here http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/VGN-NW20EF_S/updates and select latest downloads for Windows 7, and decided to update the graphics driver shown on that page as 64 bit I went here http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/VGN-NW20EF_S/downloads/EP0000207497_4494.  I uninstall the current (v8.15.10.1852) version but when I run the file the site says to download it will not run because it is for win32 only, despite the page telling me it is x64.  I go to the device properties to restore previous driver, but the button is greyed out and I cannot do it!!  The only option left to me is to do a driver update and let windows search; the result is the installation of 'not' sonys recommended driver and 'not' the original driver but a completely differnt (and later?) version 8.15.10.2302 despite windows previously saying that version 8.15.10.1852 already installed was the best one!!

WHAT I AM TRYING TO RESOLVE:
I guess there are a number of things.
1) How do I resolve my blue screening?
2) The process for obtaining all the correct upto date sony drivers for my machine is to say the least a little hap hazard and the sony web site ought not to indicate x64 for x32 drivers that way they will be sure people wonte erroniously follow a process to install an x32 driver like I did.
3) That said does any one know how exactly do I go about ensuring that my machine has all the up to date drivers?  This may in fact resolve my ble screening issue above.
4) Already windows has told me I have the best and most up to date driver for each device installed but when I albeit erroniously uninstall the graphics driver, on reinstall it installs a later one!!!  This makes me think there may be later and/or better choice drivers for the other devices it is also telling me are the best and most up to date.  How do I find out whether or not there are better choice drivers when the windows process for doing this appears 'not' to be consistent.

Regards,

Andrew

Message was edited by: rich912

Edited to mask serial number and service tag.

Message was edited by: hardy99

Message was edited by: hardy99

[Blencogo]

Hi Andrew and welcome.

Firstly make sure your work is backed up as one of the causes of your symptoms could be a failing hard drive and it is better to be safe than sorry.

iastor.exe & iastor.sys are the Intel SATA Drivers for your hard disc storage. I would try reinstalling the 'Intel SATA Driver (non-RAID)' which is in the 'Preinstalled Drivers and Utilities' Tab on the Updates page for your model here: -

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/VGN-NW20EF_S/updates

You have installed an updated graphics driver and if you are happy with that then stick with it.  If not, I would suggest reinstalling the original Intel Graphics Driver (Ver 8.15.10.1855) which can also be found under the Preinstalled Tab.  I would not worry too much about having the latest graphics driver as your NW20EF is a good entry level laptop but will not set the world on fire in the graphics department.

I would run CHKDSK to check out your hard drive for errors and bad sectors and also run the system file checker (SFC /SCANNOW) to check for corrupted system files.

I presume you are using the original Sony Operating System?  If so, software and driver updates should be offered to you automatically by Vaio Update.  Go to the link above and open the Windows 7 Tab under 'Latest Downloads' and manually download and install Vaio Update 5.5.2.11060.  This program will tell you when a Sony driver update is available.

In the end, I would suggest that stability and reliability is of more importance than trying to chase the very latest drivers.

[hardy99]

Hi Blencogo,

Thanks so much for you advice, I shall certainly take a look.

In the end, I would suggest that stability and reliability is of more importance than trying to chase the very latest drivers.

I am not just trying to update drivers per se.  It has already been suggested to me that updating drivers might be the solution to my stability and reliability problems.  Do you think that this is probably not the case and that something else is the cause.  The BSOD and *.dmp files appear to be saying something like "...the problem may be with the file/program *sys or *exe..." so that was my starting point.

Do you happen to know why windows though my graphics driver was the best but when I uninstalled it and then asked for it to be reinstalled windows did not install the original, or the updated one offered by sony, but an even later one?

 I would try reinstalling the 'Intel SATA Driver (non-RAID)' which is in the 'Preinstalled Drivers and Utilities' Tab on the Updates page for your model 

So reinstall of the same driver can sometimes resolve a recent tendancy for the driver to crash, right?  It or a related part of it has some how got corrupted?  When you say reinstall, is there a recommended process or do I just run the download which will be an exe and it will uninstall and reinstall together?

You have installed an updated graphics driver and if you are happy with that then stick with it. 

Well this was more a consequence of what I think is a problem on Sonys site.  Their recommended update for the graphics driver is listed as x64 but when I uninstall my old one download it and run it, it says it is x32 and cannot run.  This gives me cause for concern for any other items I am recommended to uninstall/install.  Do you think this is hopefully a one off typo on their site?

I would run CHKDSK to check out your hard drive for errors and bad sectors and also run the system file checker (SFC /SCANNOW) to check for corrupted system files.

Thanks for this advice, I shall certainly try that.  Do you think this is the more likely cause?  Is there a tool you could recommend for checking other performance/corruption issues eg ratio of memory in ram/on disk etc..

Thank you again so much for your input, I really appreciate it.  I shall try these things and post back and mark the post accordingly.

As an aside:

I have had huge problems with this discussion site yesterday and today, failing to bring up pages, logging me out, bringing up strange corrupted pages.  This is why this post may look weired cos' I had to paste it in from the clipboard not wanting to retype after numerous attempts to post.  Have others had this problem also?  Where does one raise such issues?

Thanks

[Blencogo]

Hi Andrew,

Yes, I agree - this website is practically unusable this weekend.  Sony have been advised of the problems which are following a website revamp earlier last week.

Normally, Windows will not update mobile GPU drivers.  The graphics drivers for notebooks are usually the responsibility of the PC manufacturer and drivers from the GPU manufacturer will not install.  Unless you have a particular problem, you are best using the Sony drivers.

Try the other checks and let us know the outcome.