REALLY SERIOUS PCG-K215B SUDDEN RESTART PROBLEM!

[Kei]

Ok this is a really bad problem. I have a Vaio PCG-K215B, I bought it on the 14th July 2004.
Specs are as follows:
Intel Celeron 2.8ghz
HDD: 40GB
512MB DDR RAM
ATi Radeon IGP 345M

Everythin is updated, Windows all updated (SP1), Norton Internet Security 2004 updated, all drivers up to date. Ad-aware 6 SE installed.

Everything is clean, it's virus free, no worms. I've checked everything on the PC, I've scanned for spy-ware ad-ware, viruses, worms. I've used multiple methods: Norton, Ad-aware, Stinger, Symantec tools.

I randomly get sudden restarts on my PC. It does so without any notification, there's no Blue Screen of Death, even though I've unchecked the Automatically Restart option in the Startup/Recovery settings.
I operate the PC behind a router via wireless PCMCIA card. Drivers for the network card are certified by Microsoft.

I've put up 3 firewalls, 1 hardware from router, 1from Norton Internet, and 1 one from Windows built-in.
I get no error reports after the restart is done, no error dialogs, nothing.

I've carried a system reformat, on my C: drive, leaving the 😧 drive intact.

The problem is nothing to do with overclocking, I run even little programs at once (like Winamp and IE) and it still reboots suddenly. It's nothing do to with the power outlet, I've switched the VAIO plug to another socket and it still reboots.

At first, the problem happened like every 72 hrs or so, but now it's very unpredictable. However, it doesn't restart in loops, i.e. it doesn't restart after seconds or after minutes. It's quite random.

Could it be that some virus/worm is hidden in my 😧 partition in my system volume folders?

I have 2 others PCs, 1 desktop and 1 laptop, and they don't the problem, so I'm not sure whether it's anything to do with a worm, because it'll spread over the network.

Do you think it's all because that the VAIO is defective? Or is it a software issue?

Please anyone help me out here, this is seriously urgent.

[Kei]

What the...

But the thing is that the Windows Auto Time Update functions every week. The last previous restart (not counting tonights) was on Sunday 29th August, and that's not even a week to now. Like it updated my clock at 1 Sept 2004 20:58PM, it'll do that again at 8 Sept 2004 20:58PM. I'm getting ocassional and random restarts like you know, ranging from 4-12 hours of operation to like well 1-3 days operation (with shut offs when I go to sleep of course).

So the whole Windows clock is mucked up? Probably that's why it only happens when I'm online. But the thing is that there must be some kind of malfunction in the VAIO's internal clock of battery, do you think?

So, if it's just the Windows clock update, then it's totally an OS fault.

However! I've only seen this error once! The others times I've checked the Event Viewer after it restarts I get no suspicious events like this one.

You see, this is like the MOST UNRESOLVED PROBLEM OUT THERE SONY VAIO HAS EVER HAD. It's a total mystery.

Btw, I'm getting this scrapheap to VAIO-Link. I'll have sooner ot later because the bloody BIOS is locked for some reason, and I don't even know the password in the first place, nor do I know how to change it. Sheesh.

My laptop or me has bad karma.

[kee-lo_]

Lets see how it goes disabling it.
Who knows?

[Kei]

Nah. I don't think that was a problem. It could be another factor to it but it could only be that the hardware fault was triggering the Windows Clock update to function whilst at the same time the hardware faulting up and causing the restart thus not allowing the Windows clock update to successfully finish its job.

Anyways Kee-lo, I've called VAIO-Link and they're gonna take it in tommorow (3rd Sept). I've gotta hand it into VAIO-Link sooner or later because my BIOS is locked up for some reason.

(Jeez and I didn't even tamper with the BIOS and I don't know the actual password, let alone set my own password).

They say it's gonna 2 weeks before it comes back. They better fix it and bring it back on time, I need for it uni.

Whatever it is, I've got a damn sure feeling/instinct that it's got to with the wireless function (well my Netgear card in this case perhaps) and it's an internal hardware defect.

I'll keep you folks updated on the repair status.

[kee-lo_]

Yes, it's best if VAIO-Link have a look, because I'm runnig out of ideas.
I was hoping the Windows Clock would solve it, stab in the dark again.

Hopefully it'll take less time, a lot of people say it takes around 5 working days, which is a week.

Good luck

[Kei]

Finally, I've just got confirmation from Repair Status that Sony have fixed my VAIO.
They say they replaced the following parts: PWB MBX-114 INT JE22
What's that?

Have anyone any idea of what this component is?

[kee-lo_]

I think it's the power unit connected to the motherboard.