VGN-C140G makes noise when scrolling

I just purchased a new C140G/B. I noticed that when I scroll there is a noise coming from the body of the computer. I think it is coming from the hard drive area. When the hard drive is working, it makes a similar sound, only a little louder.

Did a search and found a thread about this issue from Dec of last year... it was inconclusive at best.

Was there an official resolution for this problem?

Also, the hard drive clicks at a constant interval when the computer is idling.

 

Just wanted to document my progress.

I chatted with Sony online tech support for the scrolling problem. The technician was helpful but it seemed like they were just reading from a script that a decision support system was giving them.

For the scrolling problem they provided me with a download link for a new ALPS touchpad driver (I don't know if it was newer than the one already installed). After a system restart, it seemed like the problem was solved. It wasn't. The system still makes the same noise when I use the keyboad buttons to scroll and I just noticed a new problem: There is a similar noise but different frequency when I move a window around on the screen that is infront of a previously opened window.

Also, what I previously thought was the normal "hard drive working" sound is in fact the same sound emitted when scrolling and moving windows around on the screen. I observed the hard drive is actually almost silent during regular operation.

I ran the vaio hard drive scan to make sure I didn't have a bad hard drive. All the tests passed. After doing some web research about the hard drive clicking, I found many other laptop users with many different hard drive brands were experiencing the same problem. They traced the issue to the hard drive repeatedly going into power save mode and parking the heads excessively. Some hard drive vendors have released firmware updates for the hard drives to solve this issue.

Sony's solution for the hard drive clicking problem was a bios reset. Enter bios, load default settings. I was skeptical about this "fix" since I didn't make any changes to the bios. After 1 restart, it seems the clicking problem has gone away.... for now.

I can live with the scrolling sound, but my image of VAIO's is considerably lessened. I cannot live with the hard drive clicking however since it is a mechanical part making the noise. The constant clicking would probably prematurely wear out the drive. Luckily the bios reset has appeared to address the issue.

 

Hi,
I have exactly the same problem with the noise when scrolling a window. I called Sony but they told me that never heard of this problem. Is it possible that the GPU is working harder when scrolling the content of a window and that this produce some kind of high frequency noise? This is very irritating and apparently a default of conception of the laptop. I wonder now if I should return it.
I had a similar problem with the hard drive. I did a complete reinstall of the system using a recovery disc and apparently the problem went away, but to be sure I am going to reset the BIOS as you did.

 

Regarding the noise while scrolling I discovered that the touchpad driver access a file named apoint.exe almost every time the mouse moves (used filemonitor.exe program to monitor drive access). This can explain the noise. I didn't find a more recent driver for ALPS touchpad, but I found an older one from HP that doesn't access the apoint.exe file. Since I installed this older driver my laptop doesn't make noise anymore when scrolling. If this can help someone.

 

Good job on finding the driver. Please give us an update in a few days and let us know if the driver fix sticks.

After some more web research, I found that the potential source of the problem is related to Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors running on 945-based chipset motherboards. The mosfets on the motherboads are actually resonating and making an audible noise. This doesn't appear to be a brand or model specific issue.

If your driver fix works it will be good news for many people.

 

Well I have to say that the driver didn't resolve anything I noticed the noise again today. So you are perhaps right about what is producing it.
Now I try to reduce accesses to the hard drive by background applications (under Widnows XP). It drives me nuts to see the drive spinning when no foreground application is opened. I used FileMonitor and was to surprised to see how many services or background applications open/close/access files every second. Even if the files are probably in cache there is always a moment when the access is made on the actual hard drive.
I just surrendered trying to reduce these readings/writings. Perhaps someone has a suggestion for me?

 

How many processes do you have running?

I have 48 with MSN Messenger and this web browser open. I'm running Symantec A/V Corporate Edition. If you are using the Trial Norton Internet Security that came with the computer, I suggest you ditch it right away. That program is a resource hog and may be causing all the background activity you describe.

 

Hi,
I have new developments regarding the noise when scrolling a window. I went to control panel->power options. In the VAIO Power Management panel, under the CPU Control line (and plugged in column), I switched from "Performance" to "Adaptive". Once I applied this setting I noticed that the noise almost disappeared. Is it possible that the CPU running at full speed all the time produces this noise?
I managed to reduce frequent hard drive accesses, but tonight, while working in perfect silence, I noticed (as you mentioned in a previous post) that the drive seems to spin down all the time. I don't think it's the drive reading data since the light doesn't switch on. I tried to reset the BIOS, but nothing changed. I am going to pay more attention to that for the next fews days and see if I find a solution for that.

 

Currently I'm running adaptive as well. I'm not able to hear if it has made any difference or not compared to performance because my central heater has been running non stop. It is very cold where I am right now.

Once I am able to use the laptop in near-complete silence, I'll post an update.

 

I think i figured it out for my model,
go to my computer -> advanced, visual effects
and turn off animate windows when minimizing or maximizing,
that was causing the noise for mine, doesn't do it when it scrolls though....