Vaio VGN-NR285E hibernation/sleep problem

Hi, I'm running Vista with SP1 and have been experiencing several different problems with the sleep and hibernate functions

Hibernate-

1. About every 3 in 4 hibernations (spontaneously) the laptop will have an incomplete hibernation. The computer will begin to hibernate by first shutting off the screen, but the processor will keep running and the power LED will stay on (sometimes the wireless LAN LED stays on too).

When this happens, the computer is pretty much in a suspended state and even if I press the power button to try and resume my session nothing happens. I always have to resolve this by doing a forced manual shutdown by holding down the power button for a few seconds.

Sleep-

1. Same problem as Hibernate problem 1 (incomplete/suspended sleep mode), always resolve with forced manual shutdown.

2. About half the time when I put the computer to sleep, it'll go to sleep for 20-30 minutes, then suddenly reboot, saying windows experienced unexpected shutdown etc.

My VAIO is factory refurbished and I've had it for about 2 months

 

You may find this useful. This is an edited transcript of the case I filed with the SONY support team for my VAIO FW11M laptop :

1. Installed service pack: Vista Home Premium
Still using service pack: yes
2. Detailed problem description: Statement of case :

Hibernation mode causes the computer to stop responding (always)
Sleep mode causes the computer to stop responding (randomly)

When pressing the case button or start menu button, computer does not go into hibernation. Instead, it freezes :

- On/Off case button stays green instead of flashing orange
- Screen blanks
- Keyboard/touchpad/mouse do not respond
- Fan starts at medium speed
- No hard disk activity (which would be expected)
- The only way to turn off laptop is by pressing and holding the On/Off button on case.
- Vista starts with warning that computer has not been turned off correctly.
- I select the default choice (normal start) and Vista starts.
3. Checked for upgrades or patches: yes
4. Additional SW: Removed software :
McAfee Security Center
MS Office Home & Student 2007
Google Desktop

Preinstalled software
Installed :
Antivir Premium
Firefox 3.0.1
VAIO Smart Network 2.0 - 2.0.1.07170
(Vaio Update)
HP Photosmart 2570 Series
Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
5. Additional HW: No hardware except Logitech wireless mouse
6. Extra memory added: no
7. Additional remarks: See above description

PS. I did not install any driver for my Logitech wireless mouse (model VX revolution)


*** NOTES 22-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Dear Mr ...

Thank you for contacting us.

Please follow the suggestions found in the following Microsoft knowledge base:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929734/en-us

Could you also tell us if you experiencing the same issue when the wireless mouse is disconnected and nothing else is connected to your Vaio?

We will await your response.

Leszek Sony Vaio-Link Team

*** NOTES 22-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Hello, the provided link says :
"You may experience one or more of the following problems after you resume a Windows Vista-based computer from sleep or from hibernation:
? A device stops responding or no longer works correctly. There may be a yellow exclamation mark next to the device in Device Manager. Or, the device may not appear in Device Manager. The device may be a fingerprint reader, a Windows Media Center remote control, an optical drive, a FeliCa reader, or some other device.
? After you resume the computer, you use the Safely Remove Hardware option to remove a device on a portable Windows Vista-based computer. However, in this situation, you cannot reconnect the device. After this problem occurs, the computer may stop responding when you try to shut it down or to perform a restart.
? When you connect a USB device, you receive a "Stop 0x7e" error message that resembles the following:
STOP 0x1000007E
usbhub.sys
SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

? You receive a Stop error message that resembles the following:
STOP 127
PAGE_NOT_ZERO_NVIDIA_USB
This error occurs on a Windows Vista-based computer that uses 2 gigabytes (GB) or more of RAM and an NVIDIA nForce EHCI controller."

This is not a description of my problem, i.e. incorrect hibernation shutdown.

I will have to do further testing with/without mouse connected, although I doubt mouse is the cause of the freeze.


*** NOTES 23-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Hello,

This problem is clearly quite common for different types of laptops. A simple Google search : (e.g. "sleep issues vista") leads to hundreds of results, like this one, for instance :
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1175893&SiteID=1

Upon further research, I also detected that my VAIO supported these sleep states (french locale) :

C:\Users\...>powercfg -a
Les ?tats de veille suivants sont disponibles sur ce syst?me?: Attente ( S3 ) Mettre en veille prolong?e Veille mode hybride
Les ?tats de veille suivants ne sont pas disponibles sur ce syst?me?:
En veille (S1)
Le microprogramme syst?me ne prend pas en charge cet ?tat de mise en
attente.
En veille (S2)
Le microprogramme syst?me ne prend pas en charge cet ?tat de mise en
attente.

Note : S3 state : Available; S1 and S2 states : Not available

I am now testing Hybrid sleep (S3), which was off by default in the VAIO "Optimized" power plan.

Any suggestion would be particularly welcome.

*** NOTES 23-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Dear Mr ...,

Thank you for your reply.

Please do as follows;
1) Control Panel (classic view) - System
2) Click the advanced tab and under "Startup and Recovery", click Settings
3) Under "System Failure" and under "Write debugging information", select "Small Memory Dump" from the drop-down then click ok
4) The next time you get a BSOD, go to start - run and %SystemRoot%\Minidump then hit enter
5) Email the .dmp file that is in this folder to [email protected] with the case number in the subject line.
We look forward to your response.


Justin Sony Vaio-Link Team


*** NOTES 25-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Hello,

I have done as suggested, but no minidump file is available at this time. I have had no shutoff crash since I activated Hybrid Sleep. It has been only a few days, so I cannot draw any conclusions yet.

Deep Sleep is not listed anymore in the options of the Start menu. Does activating Hybrid Mode deactivates Deep Sleep Mode as a consequence ? These multiple Sleep Modes are quite confusing.

Note : I had put my Vaio into Hybrid Sleep last evening. This morning, I noticed that the power button was not flashing orange anymore. My laptop had gone into Deep Sleep by itself, during the course of the night, probably because the battery had drained (unlike before, I had it disconnected from the mains).

Yours,








*** NOTES 26-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Dear Mr ...

Thank you for your reply.

Please perform a memory diagnostics check by following these instructions:

- Go to start
- Search for "Administrative tools" in start search
- Open Administrative tools
- Double click on "Memory diagnostics"

Please update the case with the results of the test.

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to update your case. If you would prefer an
e-Support agent to contact you by telephone, please update your case with your preferred contact number
and a suitable timeframe between the hours of 8:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday.


Harry Sony Vaio-Link Team








*** NOTES 29-Sep-2008 Action Type: Info
Hello, I did the memtest and the result is OK.
I had another crash today when I tried to put my Vaio to sleep (Hybrid mode) by pressing the case switch. Same symptoms : the screen blanked, the keyboard froze, and I had no other option than to press and hold the case switch to turn off computer.
I restarted in safe mode and only found this in Event Viewer :

Nom du journal Tongue Tiedystem
Source : EventLog
Date : 29/09/2008 13:00:50
ID de l'?v?nement :6008
Cat?gorie de la t?che :Aucun
Niveau : Erreur
Mots cl?s : Classique
Utilisateur : N/A
Ordinateur : PC-de-...
Description :
L'arr?t syst?me pr?c?dant ? 12:41:21 le 29/09/2008 n'?tait pas pr?vu.
XML de l??v?nement :
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="EventLog" />
<EventID Qualifiers="32768">6008</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2008-09-29T11:00:50.000Z" />
<EventRecordID>18642</EventRecordID>
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>PC-de-...</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>12:41:21</Data>
<Data>29/09/2008</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>8758</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Binary>D807090001001D000C00290015003802D807090001001D000A0029001500380260090000 3C000000010000006009000000000000B00400000100000039940000</Binary>
</EventData>
</Event>

Yesterday, my Vaio woke up from hybrid sleep by itself (repeat : _by itself_ I was in the room and witnessed it) NB. yes, the mouse was off! (hardware button under wireless mouse off!) then computer proceeded to restart automatically. Windows warned me as usual that the system had not been shut off properly, I chose the default choice (Normal start).
I have now reverted the Vaio Optimized Power Plan to its defaults and will try again.
This is really getting on my nerves, especially since it happens randomly.
There seems no way to put my Vaio to sleep properly.
Yours

PS. No minidump file available (this is not a BSOD, unless you mean a Black Screen Of Death)









*** PHONE LOG 01-Oct-2008 Action Type: OUTGOING call
Called Mr. ...
Unit is freezing from day one
Unit is crashing when pressing power switch
Unit instead going to sleep gets blank screen
KB doesn't work mouse doesn't work
the only way to resolve it to press the switch button
Issue is intermittent
he restore Vaio power plan to his defaults
Issue occurs about twice in a week sleep/hibernation
advised that Vaio needs to be restored back to his manufacturer settings
advised to backup data
advised that i will update his esupport case with full recovery steps
Advised to test Vaio on the clean install









*** NOTES 01-Oct-2008 Action Type: Info
Dear Mr ...

Thank you for taking my call today.

To Carry out a full recovery please carry out the following;
From a powered off state ensure the AC adaptor is plugged in.
Then power on the computer and start tapping the F10 Key repeatedly.
This will load an edit boot options screen, if so press Enter or it will load the Vaio recovery tools.
Here you will need to choose Recover you computer completely or alternatively recover C: drive.
The next screen will be to accept terms.
You will then have a number of screens you will have to select Next on.
Finally you will get a screen to press Start Recovery on. Press Start.
This process will take between 1-2 Hours.
It will finish by getting you to set up the computer again with the owners details.

Please respond to this case for further assistance or with an update.

Maggie Sony Vaio-Link Team








*** NOTES 02-Oct-2008 Action Type: Info
Hello, Thank you for calling me. I will try and do a full recovery as soon as possible, although that implies a large time investment and I may not be able to do it immediately.
Shortly after buying my Vaio last month, I created a 102 GB D: (DATA) partition by shrinking the C: (SYSTEM) partition to 120 GB.
1. Although I doubt it (I had previously a VGN FE21M which came pre-partitioned and worked perfectly fine), could that partitioning be the cause of the sleep issue?
2. If I carry out a full recovery, would it be advisable to choose to recover C: drive only, since this is a possible option? The Recovery booklet says that would leave the D: (DATA) partition (where I store my documents) untouched. Is that right?

Yours








*** NOTES 04-Oct-2008 Action Type: Info
Dear Mr ...

Thank you for contacting us.

It is not possible that the paritioning is causing this as the issue would reproduce accross all the Vaios included in the lineup which it doesnt. Please select CBig Smilerive recommended as part of the recovery process. Please also fully test the Vaio before installing any third party software and update the case with your results.

Justin Sony Vaio-Link Team




















*** NOTES 14-Oct-2008 Action Type: Info
Hello,

For some reason, issue seems to have disappeared. Last freeze was on the 5th of October. I have been using my Vaio daily for the last week, and putting it to sleep (_not_ hibernation) twice a day without experiencing the Sleep Of Death (SOD) symptom described above.
I have _not_ performed a reinstallation as advised.
I am unsure why issue has gone.
After doing extensive research on the web, I have only some clues :
- Vista SP1 was supposed to solve SOD.
Possible solution, as described in a forum thread dedicated to this issue:
In Device Manager : Properties WIFi Card and Ethernet Card : Allow computer to turn off device... ON
USB Controllers (all of them) Allow computer to turn off device... ON

Other solutions (unlikely):
- Switched to Power Saver Plan with default settings.
- Action when closing lid : Do nothing (General setting) (Note : I never use lid to put my Vaio to sleep anyway, I use case button instead)
Also (very unlikely):
- Installed powerscheme.gadget (allows fast switching between 3 power plans).

I will further test this configuration and keep you informed.