Vista and VAIO notebook = disaster

[LeonWinter]

Bought a Vaio SZ5 notebook, end of June. BIG mistake! I’ve never seen such software disaster / never experienced such lousy support. Don’t know if I should blame Microsoft or Sony (or both). To anyone considering a VAIO / VISTA system: think twice !!

My problems are the following:
- Putting the system to sleep blanks the screen, but doesn't put the system to sleep. Screen remains black with dead keyboard, until battery runs out . . .
- Even when system goes to sleep OK, it says that there was an unexpected shutdown when it wakes up, which causes a (lengthy) VISTA restart.
- Haven't been able to do a System Restore; any restore gives message that it didn't complete properly. No further info.
- No printed documentation whatsoever with the system
- Ex-factory, it comes loaded with unnecessary multi-media applications and undocumented utilities for digital rights and programs that prevent the system from booting when with a non-Sony battery (or when Sony battery isn't properly seated).
VAIO helpdesk doesn’t have a clue which of these applications / utilities that can be safely removed
- Power management under VISTA is complex - Sony managed to make this even more difficult by putting their own VAIO power management on top of Vista. As a result there are at least three (conflicting) ways of putting the system to sleep. Sony helpdesk is lost too; they can't even find where the conflicting settings are hidden.
- Shutting the system down often takes 3 hours; really great when trying to get doing work done between flights.
- Waking it up is time consuming too - 30 minutes is no exception
- Network links disconnect every 10-15 minutes and then mysteriously reconnect 3-4 secs later
- System is delivered with buggy drivers. Newer versions can be found at manufacturer site (Intel), but not at VAIO support.
etc

Have decided to downgrade to XP. Maybe that gives more stability . . . .

Sony *does* provide a link to download the necessary drivers and utilities. This together with two very long pages with instructions. But the printer-friendly version of these instructions point to non-existing page! Not unexpectedly, I'd say. Quite similar to quality level of most of customer support at Sony.

I got that link not from Sony/Vaio helpdesk, but from my reseller; he has more unhappy VAIO customers. Drop me a mail if you want to up/downgrade (!) to XP too

Overall: The VAIO is an expensive notebook. I had high expectations. Sony software support has *not* lived up to my expectations. Will *never* buy a VAIO again. Suggest you think twice too, when considering VAIO notebook


No one in Sony to talk too, except the poort helpdesk staff who can't be of help either. No one who takes responsibility for the conflicting information, or even obvious ommisions/errors.

(If any Sony hot shot reads this, which I doubt, I challenge him/her to resolve these
problems)

(drop a mail if you have similar experience / need to know anything)
cheers
Leon

[alexnikolov]

I can't disagree!

Overall: The VAIO is an expensive notebook. I had high expectations. Sony software support has *not* lived up to my expectations. Will *never* buy a VAIO again. Suggest you think twice too, when considering VAIO notebook


No one in Sony to talk too, except the poort helpdesk staff who can't be of help either. No one who takes responsibility for the conflicting information, or even obvious ommisions/errors.

[jesnche]

I agree with you. In case of FZ laptots Sony ONLY offers Vista drivers without indicate it when you bought your Vaio.

I need to downgrade Vista to XP because Vista has a lot of problems, moreover Vista reduce the duration of batteries and you can't use your laptop. Vista only support IE7 and for a web designer is caos.

Sony doesn't offer responses for this attituted, moreover Sony takes care of a little group of your customers, for example, for FZ19 Sony offers XP drivers and the rest of FZ customer don't have the same privileges.

It's incredible, wrong attitude, I don't recomend to buy Sony products since I bought my Vaio.

[madrape88]

I have just bought a TZ series laptop. At nearly £2000 I would have expected better. The hardware is good however the software conflicts are numerous and the attitude from the help desk very mixed. I would not buy or recommend a sony laptop in the future. In this price range they should get it right.

[LeonWinter]

 ... I would have expected better ...  software conflicts are numerous and the attitude from the help desk very mixed  ... .would not buy or recommend a sony laptop in the future.  In this price range they should get it right.

Several similar reactions to my post, but none from Sony.

Isn't anybody from Sony reading this forum????

Leon

[jumpsuit]

Sorry you've all had such a hard time.

My upgrade to Vista Ultimate wasn't without problems but at least my Vaio is running smoothly now.

[benste]

Why do you all have problems with VISTA???
On the FE Series there are no mistakes, and when i have produced a mistake (because of devoloping) there was a wonderful support team which is named Vaio-Link or so,
they helped me and after 1 day all worked fine.

Because of Vista I would say use Linux

Linux is
- faster
- cheaper
- safer
- more optimized
- ....

Download an Ubuntu Image under
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
If there will be any problem you can Mail me

[uhajmup]

Hoi Leon,

I'm sorry to read that you have big problems with your new Vaio.

I recently bought a FZ11-s which running perfect on Vista. Start and shut downtimes of one minute or so. Slaap (sleep) and Sluimer (idle?) goes smoothly.

It will run allmost for two houres on a battery, with de screen on max brightness.

The only problem is that not all software is compatible with Vista.

Hope that you are able to sort your problems

[maxalera]

I can tell: "VISTA IS BRUTAL BULLSHIT". I was buy new Sony Vaio for seriously working. But it is a problem with Microshit VISTA. Notebook is a good, but OS is DISASTER it is realy true. I think, better would be use LINUX. (Som nasrany uzivatel.)

[LeonWinter]

I can tell: ...it is a problem with Microshit VISTA. Notebook is a good, but OS is DISASTER it is really true. .)

I've never said that the notebook is bad, but I *do* blame Sony for providing inadequate support. I have complained a zillion times with them, that hibernation/going to sleep is very slow (sometimes over 45 minutes!!). No response from Sony, except suggesting that I do a restore to initial factory settings!

A Microsoft update for VISTA, however, has been available to correct this precise bug (and many others) from second week August! Sony seems totally unaware of this. No word from them that there indeed *is* a problem with hibernation and up to today, no mention anyplace of this important update on the Sony site.

I recommend *everyone* to not wait for Sony, and install these important Vista updates (see http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=938979 ) right away.

And let's see how long it takes until Sony Support wakes up from their own Hibernation

Leon

NB: My Vista update notification did not pick up this update, either