Sony Vaio FE41Z/Vista Home Premium - a few issues

[wonkat]

Hi:
Recently bought the Vaio laptop FE41Z, and its great except for a few niggles which are worrying me as I do not think they should be occuring on such expensive machines! Any help/suggestions much appreciated -
1.When going to sleep or hibernating, comp res changes.I know this is a 'known' iussue but if it is, has Sony actually made it clear that it is working on it??
2.How do I Set it so the comp does nothing when I close the lid – at the moment I think comp shuts itself off?? I did amend settings in the Control Panel, but it seems to have ignored me!
3.Pinging sound during certain applications - quite irritating and cant figure out why they are sounding?
4.Some 'gadgets' do not work, or rather they did, but now suddenly cant connect.
5.When network is set to automatic, after sleep or restart or start the browser and Outlook cannot seem to ‘detect’ that I am online – also the network pic shows partial connection only to internet – local connection ok, internet connection not ok.
6.Windows Media Player does not start sometimes (esp after running Windows Media Centre?)
7.Trackpad cursor sometimes freezes up, moves very slowly, then becomes ok.
8.Google searchbar in IE 6 does not work on personalised google start page.
9.Club VAIO keeps & VAIO documentation do not link from Welcome Center – I get a box saying Connect to Internet to download latest edition, but I am connected!(and no link is avlbl to click to)
10.Volume settings are very low even on max volume from laptop speakers.
11.Bluetooth settings how do I stop mobile from being seen as a modem connection and used just to transfer files and access mobile data? How do I understand Bluetooth settings?
12.Welcome Centre still shows ‘Click Here to Register’ although I already have.
13.Battery is distinctly loose on the laptop body, I can jiggle it around.

Sorry if some of these queries sound a bit naive - I do want to call Sony but I thought before I bother them with all this, I'd check on the forum. Any suggestions much appreciated.
Cheers!

[Bonce11]

I have the same model with many of the same problems - especially point 1 (screen resolution) and very bad sound. I'm hoping the promised driver upgrade at the end of the month will solve.
Point two will be solved by updating your bios, follow the downloads link from the support tab at the top of this page. Hopefully someone else will be able to help with the rest of your problems.

[wonkat]

Hi and thanks bonce,looks like point 2 is sorted - but I'vejust noticed another problem, this time with the Camera Capture -
-Camera does not work after first successful attempt! Message I get is – An attempt to intitialise camera failed. Please check if another software is using the camera – despite loading on new software from VAIO website, it ran a few times and then I got the same message.
Any ideas anyone?

This was happening even before the BIOS update I did, so obviously has nothing to do with that.

Bit tiring getting this comp to work as well as it looks!
Cheers.

[kee-lo_]

http://club.vaio.sony.co.uk/clubvaio/gb/en/forum/viewthread?thread=40292

[wonkat]

Hello and thank you so much for directing me to that link - I did see itr yesterday but assumed it was for upgrade issues, not relevant to my laptop which shipped with Vista.
Nonetheless, thanks.
But I think the REAL problem here is this -
If I have to spend SO much time trying to figure out and understand how to make this laptop function, because someone somewhere hasnt, is it really worth the money ?
I can understand being asked to download updates etc, but it seems like even these are all over the place with Sony !!
Why do I have an automatic VAIO updater if in fact, it DOSENT apparently update everything it needs to ? If it did, I wouldnt be here :o).
Im not one who normally likes to draw comparisons, but I have to here - I use a Powerbook at work, and I cannot EVER rememver going so crazy just trying to get it to work !
Sony : please dont charge the big bucks if you cannot put your tech where the money is !
When I pay this much, I DO NOT expect to be chasing threads, downloading allsorts and probably making things worse than better because Im not a computer expert. If I was, Id be at Apple ........
Before buying my VAIO I though the people on the forum were just griping, but hey, I've joined the club, its all TALK and no do from this laptop. I definitely think I will return it.
Cheers! I feel VERY let down by VAIO.