Vaio PCG-FX701 in sleep mode?

[kiiyt]

After working normally and closing the lid, my Sony VAIO PCG-FX701 (PCG-9E7M) will now not startup.

When the power button is pressed the green power light illuminates, followed by the usual pattern of lights.

The DVD drive is powered, as is the HDD, CPU fan & CPU, however, the screen remains blank and there is no power to the USB ports or the PCMCIA slots.

Normally, I have an optical mouse plugged into the USB port and a WLAN card in the PC card slot. On start up both of these light up when the power switch is pressed, but now along with the screen they remain dead.

I have had the machine apart and can see nothing obvious.

Because of the symptoms, I am led to believe that the machine is stuck in sleep mode due to a failed latch detector switch.

This switch is located on the PWS14 board and is also known as the Battery Charging Board or Voltage Regulator Board. Sony p/n A-8049-270-A.

Is my assumption corrrect? I have found a used board on ebay, but before buying it would like some confirmation that this is the cause of the problem.

[icekewled]

did you ever resolve this problem? am running into a similar issue..

[sittas87]

first try another PSU

[icekewled]

whats a psu?

[kiiyt]

I have ordered a battery charger board (voltage regulator) from the US. It was only $6.50, so worth a try.

As soon as it is installed I will let you know the result.

[kiiyt]

PSU = Power Supply Unit

By the way, the board I have ordered is for a PCG-FX210/215, which is a compatable model.

[sittas87]

ohk so how did it go

[kiiyt]

I'm still waiting for it to wing it's way across the pond, courtesy of the US Postal Service.

As soon as it arrives it will be installed and you will either see a 'problem solved', or more head scratching from me!

[sittas87]

sure
best of luck

[caperjack]

how do you know it not just a dead lcd ,have you tried hooking it to a regular CRT monitor and using the FN key plus f8 or corresponding F key to switch from CRT/LCD

[kiiyt]

I have two FX701's (his 'n' hers), both exhibiting the same symptoms. I have tried an external CRT monitor, an external LCD monitor and a projector.......no display!

The mains adaptors (PSU) have been interchanged, just to try them, however, both of them are putting out approx 19.5vdc, which is on spec.

I have just tried again with an external CRT, with no display (keys FN F7). In this config, I placed a WinXP disc in the DVD drive. The disc span up and sounded as if it was being read, but no display.

As stated earlier, the CPU, fan, HDD & DVD drive are powered, the rest of the laptop is not, which is what has led me to the Battery Charger Board (voltage regulator) and which, coincidentally has the Latch Detector fitted to it (places the laptop in Sleep Mode).

Having ordered from ebay, I am expecting the BCB to arrive next week, and fitting it will be one of the first things I do.........watch this space!

In the meantime, I am open to any other suggestions to try out.

[kiiyt]

Replacement Battery Charger Board (BCB) arrived today!

Installed it in both FX701's......fault remains.

Hmmm, now could it the mainboard I wonder?

Both machines are powered (though not fully), both display led sequence on power-up, both are charging their batteries.

On both identical machines, as stated earlier, the fan, CPU, HDD, DVD drive remain powered.

However, their screens, USB ports and PCMCIA slots are not powered.

Neither machine will even start their boot sequence.

When connected, external monitors/screens remain blank/no signal when FN F7 pressed.

Looks like I will try to source a mainboard from somewhere.

In the meantime.............any suggestions will be much appreciated.