SZ won't work on aeroplane... air pressure?

Bit of a weird problem this.

I have a SZ1XP (about 4-5 months old). The laptop works perfectly except when I take the laptop on a plane. For each of the last 5 transatlantic trips I have taken [with different airlines] the laptop has 'reliably' failed while on board.

Basically, as soon as I'm allowed, I start up the laptop and start watching some downloaded TV... then the playback starts to jitter and pause. While this is happening I can hear the HDD trying to spin up. Eventually the laptop freezes and then refuses to boot (either freezing at the VAIO logo, or not even switching the screen on at all). I can hear the HDD again at this point.

When I land the laptop works absolutely fine. I've been talking to Fujitsu (it's their HDD), and they've never heard of the problem but are investigating. I've heard of iPods having 'altitude' problems, but a laptop???! The drive is rated to 3000 meters operating, whereas an aircraft cabin shouldn't be any more than the equivalent of about 2800 meters.

Has anyone else have this happen?

Also, can I return the HDD directly to Fujitsu for a warranty replacement since I'm currently living in the USA and my laptop is from the UK?

Annoying!

 

I can tell you: iPods are horrible friends to bring along on a plane. Everytime I have flown with my iPod it has either:

1) froze
2) won't play music
3) or won't even turn on

After several flights my iPod Nano just won't play music at all. Now I just use this expensive piece of S*** for an external HD. I can always use 4 extra gigs.

 

Hmmm...this is an interesting one. I fly quite often with my Vaio. With my older VGNSZ-260P/C I never had a problem. I would primarily watch DVD's. My primary concern was keeping the person in front of me from doing a power seat recline. My first trip with my 370P/C is tomorrow. I'll keep an eye out for things. Oh, in case you care, I generally run the first four to 5 hours of the flight on my APC extended notebook battery plugged into my DC port and then hit the last hour or two with the computers battery. On a few occasions I have plugged into Aircraft power, but I have started disconnecting my battery if it is charged when I do this. No sense seeing if Vaio Sony batteries will explode as well

 

Other than the issue that someone broke my screen by reclining, my SZ was fine on planes. When it comes back from Japan I also expect no problems using it on a plane.

Sounds like you definitely have some sort of HW issue unfortunately.

 

I've been traveling a fair bit since I've had my SZ, it always works...

I don't believe that the air pressure difference in a flying commercial plane and air pressure at ground level is enough to have an impact on any electronic equipment.

The cabin is pressurised to be about the air pressure you have at an altitude of 2400 metres.

JY

 

A nano is using flash rom, only temperature could have an influence on it.

JY

 

Maybe the AC the fat lady always has blasting does it in

 

hmm IPod not work on plane, I think that happen to me once too.

Just reset your iPod!

 

Or send it back?

 

flew a 12 hour journey to thailand in marchand experienced no problemswith my iPod what-so-ever. I willbe flying a nice long transatlantic flight in the near future so i will let you know how it goes.

 

And what did you do to the @sshole...?

 

Yup, sounds like it. The problem comes from:-

1) I'm living outside of the area I bought the laptop... so can't really make the time to return it

2) How the heck can I convince Sony there is a problem unless they have a pressure chamber

what will happen to my warranty if i replace the hard drive myself?

 

My iPod and my SZ both have never let me down on a plane, except the battery life