Sony With Dead Screen

[corkscrew]

I have a Sony VAIO (PCG-GRT170). This morning I noticed the screen was black...I clicked a couple of keys thinking that it was sleeping...all I got was a 1/2 second 'picture' of my screen that looked like it was printed in blood red ink....then it went black again...I turned it off and on. When it came on it again briefly showed the VAIO name in a weird red color, then it went black again. The hard drive seems to be working...it is just the screen.

I live in Bangkok. Where is the best place to take it for repairs? I really don't want to leave the machine....I would prefer for a technician to come to my place.

Any ideas?

[Nordlys]

http://www.sony.co.th/support/servicelocation.aspx

Well... where do you think you can get it fixed other than at Sony Service Center?

Above link shows the location of Sony Service Center in Bangkok (on Petchaburi Rd.). Sony showroom at United Bldg on Silom (I believe it is United) where there's Deli France on the 1st floor also accepts Sony products for repair. 5 minutes walk from BTS Saladaeng station (to the west of station, south side). And you will have to leave your VAIO there.

[corkscrew]

http://www.sony.co.th/support/servicelocation.aspx

Well...  where do you think you can get it fixed other than at Sony Service Center? 

Above link shows the location of Sony Service Center in Bangkok (on Petchaburi Rd.).  Sony showroom at United Bldg on Silom (I believe it is United) where there's Deli France on the 1st floor also accepts Sony products for repair.  5 minutes walk from BTS Saladaeng station (to the west of station, south side).  And you will have to leave your VAIO there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for your quick reply. Have you had any work done by Sony? I am concerned about leaving a machine with private documents on it.

[Nordlys]

Thank you for your quick reply. Have you had any work done by Sony? I am concerned about leaving a machine with private documents on it. 

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Yes, been to both Petchaburi Rd. service center and Silom showroom. Had my digital camera fixed recently for minor problem, 4 days wait. Sony service is known among some Thais to be expensive and staffs unfriendly. I only had one unpleasant experience with them but over a very minor problem. I find people at the Silom showroom a lot more pleasant to deal with than the folks at Petchaburi office. Young man with glasses at Silom showroom repair counter speaks fairly good English.

As to your private document, I don't think you have any choice now other than to replace your HDD with a new one (if you can handle that yourself) and give them the recovery CD that came with your VAIO. But if you still have valid warranty on your VAIO they might not repiar it under warranty if they find out the original HDD is replaced.

Did you buy this VAIO in Thailand? If not then the warranty is no good in Thailand. And they won't fix it if your VAIO is a model that's never been sold in Thai market. If they have to replace the LCD panel it can be very expensive.

Edited July 1, 2005 by Nordlys

[corkscrew]

Thank you for your quick reply. Have you had any work done by Sony? I am concerned about leaving a machine with private documents on it. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, been to both Petchaburi Rd. service center and Silom showroom. Had my digital camera fixed recently for minor problem, 4 days wait. Sony service is known among some Thais to be expensive and staffs unfriendly. I only had one unpleasant experience with them but over a very minor problem. I find people at the Silom showroom a lot more pleasant to deal with than the folks at Petchaburi office. Young man with glasses at Silom showroom repair counter speaks fairly good English.

As to your private document, I don't think you have any choice now other than to replace your HDD with a new one (if you can handle that yourself) and give them the recovery CD that came with your VAIO. But if you still have valid warranty on your VAIO they might not repiar it under warranty if they find out the original HDD is replaced.

Did you buy this VAIO in Thailand? If not then the warranty is no good in Thailand. And they won't fix it if your VAIO is a model that's never been sold in Thai market. If they have to replace the LCD panel it can be very expensive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you again for the reply. I think I should just buy a new machine. In your opinion should I purchase something through the local dealer (e.g. Sony) or should I go to Pantip? Do you know of any reliable independent contractors in BKK that do purchase/installations? Though I have lived in BKK for six years I have never had a computer problem...so I am ignorant of the local market.

[Nordlys]

Thank you again for the reply. I think I should just buy a new machine. In your opinion should I purchase something through the local dealer (e.g. Sony) or should I go to Pantip? Do you know of any reliable  independent contractors in BKK that do purchase/installations? Though I have lived in BKK for six years I have never had a computer problem...so I am ignorant of the local market.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe VAIO note prices are all the same in Thailand whether you buy it at Panthip or at a Sony dealer as far as I've noticed, except at SONY showrooms like in Mall Bangkapi or Emproium where prices are about 5% more expensive than others. My Thai wife's brothers and sisters company sells IT products and I'm sure they can sell you VAIO note too (though at the same price as any other store, I think).

Also, I don't know about the prices in Singapore or Hong Kong, but I find the VAIO note in Thailand to be about 20 - 30% more expensive than in Japan, perhaps you might want to check the prices in Singapore or HK first where you probably can get a better deal?

But are you sure this is a hardware problem? Why not just bring in your VAIO note to the service center at Petchaburi Rd. and have them check what the nature of the problem is at your presence (no technicians at Silom btw)? If they can tell you right there what is wrong maybe you can ask them to replace the HDD at your presence before having the technicians start working on LCD panel replacement or whatever (if that is where the problem is). 20GB 2.5 inch HDD costs just around B2-3K these days. Or if it's LCD panel problem (and if not graphic card problem) maybe you can have them hook your VAIO to an external monitor that way allowing you to back up your important files to external media and delete them from HDD before you have them start on repair work.

Edited July 1, 2005 by Nordlys