I have had a sony vaio for years and found no problems with it at all.All makes have faulty machines/components my advice is to anyone buying a new machine and experiencing a fault is to not except a repair and reject the machine immediately.Once a repair is accepted the shop cannot refund your cash, details can be found at you local trading standards office.

You hit the problem right on the nose! Sony is horrible. I actually have power (AC) problems with my PCG-GRV 670 (among other things). When I was told, on my 3rd reparir for the same problem, that I would need to pay because my computer was out of warranty, I was shocked. I told them this was the THIRD time in less than a year and a half... the guy told me I still had to pay. He also told me... that this AC adaptor failure problem was a COMMOM PROBLEM with my model. Why then, if this is such a common problem, did I get stuck with a 300 dollar bill? Next time my computer had the problem, within 90 days of my previous repair, I was told by the person on the phone I would almost certainly receive a new computer, since it was now my FOURTH time with the AC problem. Did I receive a new computer? Of course not. I'm stuck with this one... just waiting until the day when the AC will fail again (for the fifth time) and Sony will demand another 300 dollars. Not only that, but this time when I received my computer back, my CD-Drive was mysteriously not working. I'm 100% sure that if I called to have it sent in... I would be charged a 300 CD-Drive replacement fee. I say, sue the pants of them. They deserve everything that's coming to them. All their laptops need to be recalled. I want my money back so I can go buy a Dell.

I had my sony vaio PCG-GR114MK for 4 years now and I am really happy with it - no problem (knock on wood) so far.
Although it is a bit outdated it still works fine and I have no need to change it yet. If i do. I will probably go for another sony vaio.

ActiveSync
I am unable to connect a HP iPaq hx4700
to my Vaio computer.
Sony solution number 22231 states (download the latest version of Bluetooth driver and BlueSpace to use ActiveSync with pocket PC via Bluetooth)
But I have the latest version of Blutooth but not BlueSpace and Sony can not help me.
I would appreciate if there is anyone who may help.

Dell has ~58% users complaints
Sony has ~3% users complaints
'Try Dell, I've heard great reports about their laptops" thanks for your advertisement for Dell and good luck on you.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/computers/computer_complaints.html

I bought a vaio laptop last year. After 6 monts, my optical drive went, so i called Sony vaio Link, i was told that they would collect my laptop and replace the optical drive. On reurn, i had the laptop for approx 4 months, and again the optical drive went, again i sent the laptop for repairs, they again replaced the optical drive. When i received the laptop back, after approx 2-3 days againg the optical drive went. By now my guarentee was expired. Although it went for repairs 3 times withing 1 yesr. I only spena mere £1000 on this piece of crap, but hey, never mind, my pounds grow on little trees. I logged my last case on esupport case ref 1606512 on the 11 April and guess what, i am still sitting with a laptop with an optical drice that does not work. SONY IS A PIECE OF ****, NEVER BUY A SONY LAPTOP.
Thet staff at sony, inisted that i will not have the problem after the optical drive was replaced the first, second and now the 3rd time. the biggest joke of all is that o am only been offered a 512 memory stick as a "good will gesture" My case is tooooo large for me to write all the crap that sony has given me. We are just numbers that call sony and we are not regarded as cutomers. Pleae contavct me should you wish to know more.
rommelmohun@yahoo.com
I have also contacted the BBC watch dog.

I have also been experiencing severe problems with my Sony VAIO PCG-GR370 laptop which I purchased in March of 2002. It worked fine for the first 2 years but then about a year ago, it suddenly stopped booting up!
I'd like to be added to the class-action lawsuit, if possible. I will never buy a Sony product again.

I own ( I regret to say ) a PCG-GRV616G. It has worked fine for two years. But earlier this year - 2005 - it started to cut-off; it gave no blue-screen, no warning. It simply cut off. The temperature was RED-HOT. When I pushed my PCMCIA card in it would cut-off. My backup system would fail (Iomega ext. hard drive + Norton Ghost 9.0).

It has come as a real shock to me that it is a well known problem with vaio laptops as I always bought Sony for their legendary reliability.

I have sent my laptop off to www.laptopsupport.co.uk, who have reported a memory slot problem. This they have now repaired and I look forward to getting my vaio back the day after tomorrow. If all is well, then it will be £144 UK Pounds well spent. But, frankly, having read all your postings, I have a terrible itchy feeling that after four or five months this will start to go 'bottom-shaped' again.

If it does, I'm buying an H/P ZD8100.

Bring on the lawsuit.

Michael - disillusioned in London.

On my third VAIO laptop due to policy of the organisation I work for.

First one had two defective CDROM units - second failure, conveniently, just out of warranty.

Second suffered from the GRX board memory module faulty connector problem which SONY refuse to recognise, and a loosened DC input jack problem - both well documented on the net.

Latest (VGNS1XP) had to go back after 6 months due to defective video board - European warranty service was slow and poor and it took two visits and a return to base for the unit to achieve a fix.

Just heard that we are dumping VAIO as a preferred supplier.

DO NOT BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THAT PAYING MORE FOR A STYLISH VAIO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A MORE RELIABLE UNIT AND BETTER SERVICE - IT WILL NOT!

Bought my daughter a bottom of the range Toshiba laptop for University. Screen fault developed, courier collected and unit returned fixed within 3 days. The Toshiba 3 year warranty was worth every penny even with this it cost around a third of my latest VAIO.

Kate, or anyone that is based in the UK, try asking the trading standards agency (in your local council) about this matter. I think you may be pleasantly surprised with their advice regarding your out of date warrenty. I have done this with a moniter I once had which was out of its warrenty for 18 months plus, and got a satisfactory result. I can't say any more on the subject but I do urge you to do this, it will only take a phone call and a couple of minutes of your time.