VAIO FJ1S buzzing sound!!!

[jun22garcia]

Hi, I just bought a vaio FJ1S laptop a few days ago. The first thing i noticed is a minute buzzing sound when I am running in batteries. It is not so loud but it is quite irritating specially at night because everything is quiet and that is the only sound I can hear ( apart from the hard disk).

So I called sony support and they told me that it might be a defect. So I went back to the shop where I bought it from and got a new replacement right away.

When I tried it, it has the same buzzing sound when on batteries. My guess is that it is the switching DC-DC converter that is making the sound ( so might be a design flaw!)

Does anyone have the same buzzing sound? even in the vaio FS series?

Even if the computer is off and not connected to the outlet, you can still hear the buzzing if you place your ear close to the vents.

Another thing I noticed is that the windows always indicate that the it is still charging the battery even though it is already 100% full and the blinking battery indicator is off.

If anyone can please check if this is also the same in your vaio's. I still have about 5 days to return the notebook and get refund if this is really a problem.

[Manuleo]

I have a SONY FS 315S and I have your problems!

But the buzz I hear is connected with the display, in my case. When I decrease the brighteness (when I use the battery for example), it starts with this annoying buzz. But no one could help me. The sony support said that they didn't know what it would be concerned with, but they wanted to investigate this problem. I hope they'll do!

Why don't you tell this to the support? If the notice that there are many users with the same problem, maybe they'll work on it!

Hi, I just bought a vaio FJ1S laptop a few days ago. The first thing i noticed is a minute buzzing sound when I am running in batteries. It is not so loud but it is quite irritating specially at night because everything is quiet and that is the only sound I can hear ( apart from the hard disk). 

So I called sony support and they told me that it might be a defect. So I went back to the shop where I bought it from and got a new replacement right away. 

When I tried it, it has the same buzzing sound when on batteries. My guess is that it is the switching DC-DC converter that is making the sound ( so might be a design flaw!)

Does anyone have the same buzzing sound? even in the vaio FS series?

Even if the computer is off and not connected to the outlet, you can still hear the buzzing if you place your ear close to the vents. 

Another thing I noticed is that the windows always indicate that the it is still charging the battery even though it is already 100% full and the blinking battery indicator is off.

If anyone can please check if this is also the same in your vaio's. I still have about 5 days to return the notebook and get refund if this is really a problem.

[jun22garcia]

Hi Manuleo, thanks for you reply on my post.


I did tell it to sony support but what they want is to send back the vaio to them for investigation. They said that it will take around 10 days. But I will be travelling next week for a month and I need this laptop. So I might just return it to the shop I bought it from and buy a different laptop.

Do you have the same problem also with the battery that windows is always indicating that it is always charging

[camlan]

YEah, I've also got the FJ1S and have exactly same problems as yours. Also buzzing sound when in battery mode and remain charging when it is 100% full.
I'm not an IT person, I dont know if they are serious problems or not. But it is irritating sound.
However, I'm satisfied with the rest.

[jammold]

jun22garcia wrote:

Another thing I noticed is that the windows always indicate that the it is still charging the battery even though it is already 100% full and the blinking battery indicator is off.

About Battery charging:

This is a known Microsoft Windows XP bug. The fact of the matter is your battery is NOT still charging at 100% capacity.

Laptop batteries have an on-board Lithium Ion controller responsible for reporting the battery life to the computer along with other information such as charge cycles etc. The main purpose of this is to prevent overcharging the battery. Lithium Ion batteries WILL EXPLODE if they are overcharged and the battery controller will prevent this from happening.

Microsoft should really address this software flaw by now - its been apparent for a while.

About the battery indicator:

When this indicator is blinking it is rapidly charging the battery. The battery should be charged (trickle-charged) to 80-85% of its capacity very quickly (about one hour). At this point the battery indicator is turned off.

It takes about another 1-2 hours for the battery to reach 100% dependant on the charging system in the laptop and the battery composition.

[jun22garcia]

YEah, I've also got the FJ1S and have exactly same problems as yours. Also buzzing sound when in battery mode and remain charging when it is 100% full. 
I'm not an IT person, I dont know if they are serious problems or not. But it is irritating sound. 
However, I'm satisfied with the rest.

Hi Camlan and James, thanks for your reply abou the vaio.

For the buzzing sound, I think it is a design flaw by Sony. I tried my friend's laptop, a sony vaio FS315E and there are no buzzing sound.

Also have you tried listening to the laptop while it is powered off? The buzzing sound is still there but much less. As long as the battery is connected there is a buzzing sound. This is the first time I have seen a laptop that is buzzing while it is off.

I think it is a flaw in the design of their power converters. I am an engineer and have experienced buzzing power supplies before and nowadays I don't think it is acceptable as it is quite irritating.

I think this flaw will have an impact on the battery life of the vaio. I charged the battery of the laptop until it was 100% and turned it off during the night. In the morning, after 7hrs or so, I switched it on, and the battery was down to 88%. So that means it has consumed 12% of the battery when it is off!!!

Anyway, after a long debate with the people from the shop where I bought it from, I was able to get a refund.

I might get the FS315 instead, it is cheaper, bigger screen and more quiet. But unfortunately, it's a celeron!

[jun22garcia]

I think this flaw will have an impact on the battery life of the vaio. I charged the battery of the laptop until it was 100% and turned it off during the night. In the morning, after 7hrs or so, I switched it on, and the battery was down to 88%. So that means it has consumed 12% of the battery when it is off!!!

***maybe 4% is lost during start-up? I don't think it will be so much as 12%

[beovar]

i have the same buzzing sound - when the power is off and the battery and/or power supply is blugged in.

i got my fj1s/w from dixons and they won't replace unless sony say its a fault - and Sony won't do that ;( ... the sony tech support say it is a known issue with some laptops in this model and that it is "within spec"

i'm travelling in a day and i really need this laptop and the data on it (i only noticed the buzzing after having it for 10 days and filling it with work data and software) so i'm forced to take their word for it - i guess i can live with it - as long as it has no long term implications on the laptop itself which i am otherwise happy with.

However i am more than a little disappointed with Sony now. after having spent 1500 Euro on a machine they won't make a simple statement so that i might replace it at a third party retailer for a different model.

And how can a buzzing sound be "within spec" anyway? 😞

anyone considering buying an fj1s, if you do go for it, make sure you check for buzzing as soon as you open the package and plug the power in (before you turn the machine on)

[tacrolimus]

I do not know whether to be happy or sorry...I own a VAIO fs115 and I' m Happy because I finally realize that I am not the only paranoid to hear the annoying buzz that comes with brightness decreasing...and Sorry because there seems to be no solution to this...
Be patient folks...and buy yourselves a POWERBOOK!

[greglt]

i have the problem as well. If the laptop is connected to the mains, there is no buzzing sound at all. If the laptop is running off the battery at full brightness there is still no buzzing but if it is not on full brightness there is a small buzzing sound as mentioned in this thread. I think its something to do with the screen because this is something which happens on plasma screens as well.....