VAIO VGC-RA304 - USB Mass storage errors

[kimp]

Hi,
Bought a VAIO VGC-RA304 in late november, and it's been playing up ever since in an exciting variety of ways. Finally bit the bullet and did a complete reformat/reinstall last night (lost 3 years worth of photos in the process...). It's starting up now, which is something.

However, I've got a weird reccuring problem with USB (which it's had since day one). Attaching iPod/Creative Zen micro / Lacie 250gb drive or HP Photosmart330 gives errors in the USB mass storage driver; the items come up as 'malfunctioned' and can't be mounted. They work fine if attached via firewire, though.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? Is it a known issue?

Running XPSP2, plus relevant windows updates / vaio updates.

Kim

[franco62]

Kimp...I think it's called the "RA304" syndrome!
Bought the same machine....in the same period.....lost a lot of works (i'm a graphic designer) .........

Formatted...reinstalled....but I'm going crazy to go back to the factory configuration....

Now it's been 20 days that my machine is on a shelf waiting for Her Maiesty Sony to send me the recovery Kit.

I don't know what to do!

Franco

[William]

Having read what I believe was YOUR POST (?) on Vaio Village I would have sent that computer back long ago.

Too late, I guess, for your photos but why on earth did you not back them up first

[kee-lo_]

Doesn't sound good - I'd send it in and say it's been no good since day 1

[Vas]

Sad to hear Kimp & franco62 of your loss of work. (This reminds me about a Back up for my work). I tend to do every year and haven't done for almost an year now.:smileyidea:

Back to your RA304, I was planning to get this in late December then I thought I should wait for the Dual Core processor.

[Vas]

Thanks for sharing your problems Kimp & franco62
Over a £1500 piece should work better than this. The other annoying part is when you call Vaio Support.:smileyangry:

[franco62]

Talking about VAIO support......

I called for a week....hours of hangin up because the people were busy.......after long time somebody answer but suddenly
the line felt down.

Consider that this is not a free number...meaning that you pay for it!!

After a week of tryng somebody answered and told me to send a fax or an e-mail with my problems.....after 10 days I'm still waiting for them to know what I have to do.

Franco

[kee-lo_]

After a week of tryng somebody answered and told me to send a fax or an e-mail with my problems.....after 10 days I'm still waiting for them to know what I have to do.

Now that's what I call incompetetance!

[William]

Having read what I believe was  YOUR POST (?) on Vaio Village 

It wasn't intended as criticism at all, you are free to post wherever takes your fancy.

If I was in a similar situation I would have done the same thing. I have posted on Vaio Village and here numerous times in the past.

[kimp]

Having read what I believe was  YOUR POST (?) on Vaio Village 
...
why on earth did you not back them up first 

Yes - I'm sorry; are there cross posting guidelines of which I am unaware?

Well, the photos on the machine were a rescue backup from two ailing mirrored LaCie external drives; which failed due to problems with USB support on my previous VAIO. And the RAID failure was so immediate and catastrophic that I wasn't able to do anything than wipe/repartition/reinstall... Sigh. When 1/2 terrabyte online backup is a reality, I'll be first in line; it's a remote possiblity now I'm 24meg BBand.

General 'Sony support blow goats' aside - does anyone have any experience of similar USB symptoms, and has found a solution?