Vaio Z Random Freezes/Stutters?

Hey guys,

So my Vaio Z is only a week old and I've started to notice random system freezes/stutters when I'm just writing a document, chatting on msn, browsing the web and even some light gaming (Warcraft 3). The freeze is only for a few secs, but during the freeze, my music would stop playing, my cursor would stop moving, my video would stop playing etc. etc. This happens more often when I'm playing warcraft where the entire game just freezes for several seconds (although not lagging in the game, drop box doesn't appear for other players), so I'm just puzzled as to what can be wrong? Anyone else experiencing the same thing?

I have a theory its the CPU downclocking or upclocking which may be the cause or an issue with the SSD?

My current sepcs are the following:
i5-540
4gb RAM
Windows 7 Pro-64
192gb SSD
Premium Carbon

and everything else that comes standard with the Z.

Thanks.

 

Interesting.

I don't think it is the CPU.

SSD's have been known to stutter, but the ones in the Z11 haven't shown this behavior, especially after a week of usage. I beat the heck out of my SSD's and was only able to get a stutter twice and only while running an ATTO disk benchmark.

Have you done anything to customize or update drivers? Have all the Windows 7 patches applied?

You might try one or more of these of these:

1. Reinstall the Realtek and Nvidia driver packages
2. Open the Intel Rapid Storage Technology app, click on Manage, click advanced, click verify. This will run over the entire SSD and report errors.
3. Rebuild the system cleanly or from the recovery DVD's.

 

Does anyone know the cause of this problem? I noticed similar freezing whilst playing Warcraft 3. I haven't seen it happen with discrete graphics, only integrated.

 

I've been away from these forums for a while. Partly due to some of the new people who are flooding the groups, mostly due to be doing some gizmo moonlighting with an HTC EVO 4G.

I have been on a custom build and haven't had any blue/black screens and actually no problems of any sort.

 

I have a similar problem too.
Im pretty sure its because heat issiues.
either on CPU or GPU side.
I test on CS:S, and it runs fine, 150+ FPS...
except, that after 10 sec or so (this varies due to if the Z is freshly started and cold or already heated up...) it starts to "pause" in intervalls every second or so...

messed up

 

i have the same issue! what could be wrong....my machine is brand new less then a week. any updates?

i tried updating the network card driver but no luck either...

 

Your problem is your thermal strategy. Open vaio control center and make sure the thermal strategy is NOT set to silent, sounds like it is....

 

same problem, exactly as described in the original post
z11, i5/540, 256gb, all drivers updated

stutters appeared on the 5th day of (light) usage. happen randomly - sometimes 3 times in row, some days not at all.
event viewer doesnt show anything abnormal.
im 100% certain its unrelated to temps. neither to ram/cpu/gpu usage in general.
happens regardless of gpu used or wifi on/off.

during the freeze ssd led would blink.
the only other thing working seems to be keyboard backlighting, as it still reacts to both environment light and to touch
other than that, all other processes freeze for 20-40sec and then go on like nothing happened (so its annoying but not fatal)

 

^your problem sounds different than what others are reporting but you may want to check you thermal strategy as well. I am certain that Suras' issue is thermal strategy setting.

 

yeap, i checked my settings but mine is set to Balanced Mode....and i am not sure what its related too. But it even happens when i am listening to music on winamp and it still continues to play as it stays frozen...no skips or stutter on the music side.

 

Well, I have a similar issue but only in video games. Usually, my GPU reach 95°C and cause a kind of shuttering/tearing effect, because 95 is a security limit (aka it cannot go above) for GPU heat on my VPC-Z11C5E.

If I lie down a pack of ice below my laptop, temp. goes below 90 and I do not have any more performance issue (aka tearing/shuttering) at all.

By the way, Sony tech support advised me to call them to send my notebook to repair.

Sincerely,

 

^what do you have the thermal strategy set to in VAIO control center???

 

Should I allow windows to automatically install updated drivers? I have never allowed windows to perform updates automatically.. its a PIA ... windows updates notifies me everytime I boot, to say there are Outlook 2003 and Visual C++ 2005 updates... why does it want to update outlook 2003 when I am running 2007? and is there a way to make it stop?

 

Its happening to me too...I notice it does it when I am in "stamina" mode.

When will Sony release an update on video card driver for Z12's?!

 

Performance.

 

I have exactly the same problem. I have a Vaio VPCS111FM notebook with Windows 7, i5 Quad core CPU and 8GB RAM.

I use YourUninstaller and pulled out most, if not all of the Sony Bloatware.

I also use SpeedFan (I highly recommend it). My CPU is usually at 35-50C, so its not hot when it freezes.

I have the same issue. I was debating reinstalling Windows 7. But I am believing the issue is Windows 7, not Sony.

Using Microsoft Process Explorer, I also am able to watch the processes at the point of Freezing. Most of the time the CPU is not under heavy load. I have seen the CPU at 2% usage and freeze.

When it freezes, the pause is .... LONG. 30 seconds would be fast. Sometimes its 1-2 minutes. I can TAB between windows, but I can't do anything. Open, Close, execute. It is explorer related for sure.

Everything comes back, nothing crashes. But, jeez, its a QUAD CORE with Windows 7 and 8GB of RAM? This should not be. The computer should run smoothly.

If anyone sees solutions on solving this, I am all ears.

 

I started a thread about this too, very annoying issue.

If anyone has any solutions, please do tell. It is 'comforting' to hear that other people are experiencing the same as me.

 

Start the Performance Monitor (just enter Performance Monitor in the Start Menu search box and hit enter).

In the left side, expand Expand Data Collector Set, then System, and finally select System Diagnostics.
Now hit the green play symbol in the top menu.
After a few minutes, you should have a report under Reports->System Diagnosticks->COMPUTERNAME...

If you've narrowed down a problem, you can repeat, but this time using "System Performance", and adding the counters you need (it's likely NOT the CPU -- the disk is far more likely, as IO is a bottleneck that will affect all cores)

And in any case, the System Diagnostics is good for identifying problems -- it will give you suggestions for how to fix some problems too.

 

The problem is quite easily solvable as I found out yesterday and thought I would share.. in my case it only happens in balanced and energy saver. What needs to be done is for the advanced power plan settings to be adjusted. I have set the Processor power management/ Minimum processor state under my balanced profile while Plugged in to 10% and the problem disappeared.

This has solved my problem which was frequent freezing for a couple of seconds every so often. if you are experiencing this problem you can thy my suggestions and let the forum know if it worked.

Best..

 

I'm going to give this a try. Hopefully it'll fix this issue, which i do find very irritating. I'll report back my findings!

Thanks bdb

 

Well actually it is DUAL-core and not QUAD-core (there are no Quad core mobile i5 Arrandale CPUs) but this doesn't matter.

I'm also interested what you use SpeedFan for? It could even be causing some problems... I can't think of anything useful it would do on your system.

 

You know what- I haven't experienced a single stutter since I upped the minimum processor setting to 10%...

 

i have! i tried it for like 2 weeks but it seems to have decreased or its just me...but the freezes still occur....

 

Okay, I take mine back. Still getting the stutters, but less frequently.

 

I noticed that the stutters happen more frequently right after entering the desktop from boot up. If i leave the laptop alone for 5 - 10 minutes or more, the stuttering goes away.

When I run HD Tune I can graphically see the stuttering in the backgound but it doesn't affect my mouse movements at all. This is after 5 - 10 minutes on the desktop.

Maybe some processes, updates, etc are causing this?

 

hmm that's an interesting idea... i noticed mines was on 0% for minimum, so i set mines on 1% to see if it's a problem with one of the cores shutting down maybe? (as setting your max cpu freq to 99% stops it from turboboosting). Do you think having it at 1% minimum will cause for less batt life?

 

Mine is at 5% after a fresh reinstall. I'll try the 10% and see how that goes.

 

Any progress with this issue?

My Z is stuttering so badly today, it's driving me insane! Especially noticed whilst zipping around Gmail. It seems that upping the minimum processor state to 10% didn't make that much of a difference.

I'd do anything to stop this stutter/make the lid stop emitting a cracking noise when I open it - it's otherwise a perfect laptop!

 

I just wanted to point out that I got my Z117GG yesterday back from Sony after repair. They changed the motherboard (because of a bad flash). I complained about the freezing/stuttering too when I gave it to them for repair.

Since I got it back I have not experienced any freeze or stuttering.

 

My god, I hope I don't have to send it back for that sort of repair already! I've only had it a couple of months!

 

Just a thought...have any of you who are experiencing stutters reinstalled windows fresh? I'm thinking about resorting to that on the off chance it gets rid of them.

 

Sorry to overload this thread.

I read elsewhere that it could be something to do with the SSD not having TRIM - and with all the caching that goes on when you're browsing/doing anything, it can create a high latency with the SSD. Could anyone more knowledgable than myself shine some light on this? And are there any work arounds?

 

I think they made some sacrifices with stability by putting a large CPU in a small laptop, like making a small car look bigger on the inside.. not best example but will do.. Anyway there is definitely a throttling issue you could put the minimum up more if you want but then the thermal strategy needs to be changed. make sure that if you are still experiencing the stuttering you are not in stamina mode as this will not take advantage of the newly set 10% in balanced mode for example. I restored my PC with absolutely no luck but the 10% increase helped. I noticed that the problem occurs more after when I change from stamina to auto, there seems to be certain programs that do it more then others however I have not been successful in identifying them as I am running so much at one time.

Sony needs to issue some new drivers, anyone can help us out with this?

There is one general truth to this whole forum which seems to be full of Z owners and there is a reason for that: Sony has gone seriously wrong with this model, we pay 1/4 of 10,000GBP (in my case) for a laptop that we need to go on forums to fix, I had a dell before and have never even bothered to see a forum regarding anything relating to it, I am not praising dell because everyone has faults but Sony has seriously affected a lot of people with their product, they can at least have the decency to update their custom drivers more often but what can I say it make no commercial sense for them, like the Bugatti Veyron, the company who built it is making a half a mill loss on it because the reduced number of them sold which do not cover R&D, same with the Z, it is not mass market so they will put it out there but will not support it properly. I have the following problems with mine: HDMI and left USB are very sensitive to movement and will disconnect peripheral upon movement, hand rest creeks like no ones business, the screen has a pinch effect when moved, the stuttering issue and a battery that is more temperamental in terms of how long it lasts then a certain gender before a particular date each month. Sony is not a good brand but is a desirable one so we are as much at fault as they are, I had to return my T9 Camera and some other stuff due to faults and it seems there is no difference if you go for the high end.

Petition anyone? I recommend we pool our requests to Sony and ask for fixes for this stuttering issue I am sure a driver fix will be more then fine. Who's up for it?

Thanks
BDB

 

Try this:

IntelRST -> Manage -> Advanced -> Enable Write Back Cache -> Enable.

See if that makes a difference. I did that yesterday and so far so good...

 

Hey timtim86 have you tried installing win7 SP1? And updating the intel rapid storage technology drivers&utility to version 10? I am not having any problems what so ever at the moment having made those adjustments + the 10%..

Cheers,

 

Man, I had been reading the updates to this post for a while, the whole time thinking "It is odd all these people are having this issue, I hope it doesn't ever happen to me". I guess today was that day.

I have been using my Vaio Z for 3d animation/modeling so I use it in SPEED mode, Performance thermal strategy, and High Performance for power profile. I also already had my Rapid Storage set to enabled for write back cache, that along with the 100% min CPU with it plugged in seems to have me already set for all the suggestions to fix the problem before I encountered it

Doing NOTHING more than actually reading these forums in Google Chrome today, I randomly had everything stutter and pause, mouse cursor lagging all over, and even keyboard input being lost during the pauses. I later started using my logitech wireless mouse and the stuttering went to complete lockup. I had to hard reset the computer and then to my dismay the brightness was at its lowest, I went to pump it up and it read at full brightness, also full brightness in the control center... Changing to STAMINA fixed everything, and it carried back over into SPEED. Then I noticed I had no internet, I apprently no longer had a wireless device! I checked the switch, no I hadn't turned it off. I reset my computer and it still did not exist, the LED still off. I checked the device manager, it claimed to be working fine, I disabled it and re-enabled it- fixed. Fired up Chrome, browsed a little, hard lockup.

All of this straight out of the blue, I restarted and used Maya, some Zbrush, and then played some DeadSpace- no problems or lag whatsoever!!! Looking at the event viewer I found 3 entries at the same time all the crashes occurred,

LMS, LMS Service cannot connect to Intel(R) MEI driver
e1kexpress, Intel(R) 82577LC Gigabit Network Connection Network Link has been disconnected
Kernel-PnP, The driver \Driver\WUDFRd failed to load for the device USB\VID_147E&PID_1001\6&35c0b730&0&1

It seems 2 of them may have to do with Intel drivers and may simply exist since I reset the Vaio, and the third is most likely related to my Logitech mouse. I updated my Intel Rapid Storage to version 10 (it was 9.x) and am going to go back to trying FireFox. It seems odd to think that using Chrome as a browser, after it worked fine for weeks would suddenly cripple my system?

 

I believe the Event Log entry regarding USB\VID_147E&PID_1001\6&35c0b730&0&1 is actually related to your TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor... or, at least, that's what Google seems to point to. PCIDatabase doesn't even have that Vendor listed, so it most certainly is not Logitech. Perhaps try updating the Fingerprint sensor driver, or disable the device altogether from within Device Manager?

As for the LMS Service entry, you might check to see if the device seems to be working properly (do you see this in Device Manager? http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/9905/88475029.jpg ). If the device seems to be problematic, create a System Restore point and perhaps try uninstalling the Intel Management Engine Interface program from within Programs and Features, then reinstalling. You might try this link for more info and a possible working link to the software.

 

Are any of you using any bluetooth devices such as a keyboard, mouse or both? I noticed that when I get the stutters is when I see my bluetooth keyboard light go on (trying to communicate with my z13?) every minute or so. Sometimes I get a solid connection with no stutters on one nights and sometimes its intermittent and this is when I notice the stutters. I am using a mac wireless bluetooth keyboard by the way.

I deleted the wireless mac keyboard from my device list for now, maybe it's weak batteries or where my keyboard is located (not exactly in line of sight, not sure that even matters being it's bluetooth). I have since hooked up an older microsoft wireless comfort keyboard and wireless optical mouse with the usb dongle attached to my docking station. So far the stutters are gone for now. But it could be anything but for now my problems seem to be bluetooth related. I don't even think I have the latest sony bluetooth drivers installed, just what came with the laptop. Keeping my fingers crossed.

mokeiko

 

I have installed SP1 yes. Did you get the Intel stuff straight off their website? I'll do that now.

 

For me I don't use any bluetooth. My LMS and everything else in the Device Manager is working as intended, no yellow exclamation points. I did a hard reset with it working fine and all 3 of those entries coincide with that happening, not the stuttering or freezing of the Vaio. It has been working fine for several hours since I had the problems, I guess it just up and died 3 times in 45 minutes while browsing the web for undetermined reasons and magically fixed itself. Until it happens again anyway

 

so i updated it to SP1 and left the CPU at 5% and upgraded the Intel driver & software....but the freezes are worse now......and ONLY on STAMINA MODE!....any other ideas??

 

I can't even update to SP1, it freezes during the updating process right before it shuts down. It freezes at the 15% mark every single time and i have to revert the changes using safe mode. Did anyone experience something like this? Any comment on what i can do about it?

Thanks

 

Hey Tim,

The Intel Rapid storage driver/software is on the Intel website, please see below link. I have not experienced any freezing since upgrading to SP1 and the RST. I still have my CPU set to 10%min. Good luck ..

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19607&ProdId=861&lang=eng

 

Ran into my second round of freezes with my Z, situation slightly different. On battery power, stamina setting, performance power with 10% minimum CPU, using Microsoft Word. The first time I had this problem over a week ago, it happened 3 times in a row spaced about 10minutes apart- this time it happened, then occurred again 10minutes later. I had updated to Win7SP1 the same time I updated the RST.

Its odd it only seems to happen when i'm using applications that use little/no resources, and after it freezes it continues to blow hot air out the vent like its still doing something even though the flashing cursor in Word is frozen, the mouse and keyboard don't respond, and the graphics switch has no effect.

I wondered if it might have something to do with the loose battery, since I haven't ever had a problem using it like a workstation and the freezes only occur when I'm moving it or have it on my lap. Used it for over an hour, moving it all over, pushing on the battery a little, no problems and no more freezes.

 

I have this problem as well. freezing only in stamina mode randomly. I updated the intel rapid storage driver (was not installed apparently) I enabled the write cache option and clicked on "verify" just to check for errors. I also changed the min cpu to 25% and changed the thermal strategy to performance (it was on balanced). It was still freezing. Now i updated the video drivers to 263.14 - 2266 (Andrew08's package located here) i do not know if this will solve it, it hasn't been long enough for me to tell. I will update if this solved my problem.

BTW im on windows 7 ultimate 64 but i can't seem to update to sp1 (don't know if that will help), cant find it in windows updates. gnna try and do it manually.

UPDATE: after updating the video drivers, SP1 appeared on windows update. weird as the older driver version did not fall under point number 4 in this article

 

working without any issues since Sp1 and the video driver update!

 

same problem - been driving me crazy for months now, tried all the options also - thermal strategy, min cpu, etc. I am trying now to install the latest version of the drivers (2281) from the given link but installation will simply fail, every time..

 

Same Problem: Doing NOTHING more than actually reading forums typing in Word or Outlook the display of my Vaio Z 11 stutters or freezes for a second and goes into to complete lockup (black screen). Now the Keybord does not work either. After automatic reboot everything seems to be fine again. Until it happens again.

 

Somehow managed to install the drivers (apparently installation will work only when laptop is in SPEED mode) and IT WORKS! My Sony Vaio Z13 VPCZ1 finally works! No more issues, it doesn't freeze anymore, no more hiccups or short pauses and freezes, it just works - as it was supposed to! Thanks, guys! (It's embarrassing for Sony not offering a solution for this problem, though.. )

 

Huh I have a problem with not freezing but going high on temperatures nad fan speed because no serious reason. Described it here -> LINK

Maybe you have any idea? :/