The Laptop

[Cap]

My on site road show computer is a SONY VAIO PCG-GRX560. P4-M, 1.6ghz, 512mb RAM, 80gb-5400rpm HD, 16.1" screen (comparable to a 17" desk top monitor), CD-R/W/DVD, GigaPort-AG USB external sound card, and an IEEE1394 external 120gb HD duplicate of the entire music library that resides internally on the lap top. I only have about 15,000 160 & 192 mp3's, every one remastered, one at a time.

I bring three (yes, 3) identical GRX560 laptops. Absolute clones. Backup for the backup. Small price to pay for my peace of mind.

Swapping laptops is fast and easy (haven't had to do it in real time but I practiced it anyway) using a PCGRX1 port replicator. In that manner, the power, the USB connections, and other connections, are permanent. Slide open the laptop's bottom port replicator cover, snap it in, push the on button, boot-up, and go. I have an identical replicator in my office connected to my internal network for fast and easy updates.

[mp3jrick]

Cap,
I also run a Sony Vaio model GRZ630, nice unit only had one problem in 2 years.
And that problem caused a shut down, not cool, lol.

I was starting to run with PCDJ FX and after a couple of hours it would just shut down like someone powered off one me.
Turned out the the additional load FX was applying was pushing the unit over the edge causing shutdown. It wasn't the program crashing in other words.

It was at this time (during Christmas party season of course) that I had to practice and implement "plan b". And I did this by utilizing the internal sound card on my back up laptop into another channel on my mixer. I had the back up loaded with the same data and running so it was seconds to make the transition. I just can't imagine dealing with sweating out a reboot with a floor full of guests while I made the change over to my back up. I now use an IPOD for back up, works perfectly.
You may have read that here in the forum.

Anyway, back to the problem I had.
The Sony had a very fine cooling condenser/heat sink in it.
I was amazed at what came out of it when I back flushed with compressed air being that it was only a few months old it was just clogged..

Granted, I do many out door events, but I'm talking a cloud when I did it.

The problem is that most of us using PCs really have no idea when we are approaching overheat until its too late standing behind it during a gig.

I came up with a filter that now protects the cooling system that I clean periodically as well as repeating the back flush.
This I strongly recommend, particularly with the Sony units.
In posting this in other forums, I have found several other Sony users that have encountered this same thing.

[Cap]

Rick:

Perhaps I put too much trust and faith in my primary by not having the second and/or third laptop already booted up for hot swappability (is that really a word?) however if that is what you do, have you ever considered a port replicator? They can be purchased very inexpensively on eBay.

Just so that you and others using the SONY VAIO GRX & GRZ series laptops, there is an across-the-board manufacturing defect with the RAM slot #2. If anyone is experiencing extended use lockups or failure to boot, I can share the information (which you won't like one bit).

Who do you use for QUALITY laptop repairs other than SONY?

[DJ Iron Mike]

It doesn't take much to clog up a fan with dust. The dust becomes electrically charged and that's what causes it to stick to moving parts.

[mp3jrick]

I have never added ram to the Sony, I would assume slot #2 is for upgrading.
I did read that once in a forum when I was troubleshooting something else.

I have since built a mamouth rack system as I stepped into video and needed mass storage and full sized cards etc...
So unfortunately this beautiful system the the Sony is built into just sits and I practice on it.
As far as a Port replicator goes, I have fell in love with the IPOD back up and it offers a lower profile presence and immediate patch should I need it.

I have never had to do anything with the Sony, I have ripped my other one apart to repair which I might consider if trouble ever comes my way with this one.
When I bought it I got a 3 year 1 try or replace warranty from Circuit City with a loaner. It never fails with extended warrantys (at least me). But I thought the insurance was worth it if I had a problem on thursday and needed some recourse.

I noticed you use BPM, do you use their controller? And how do you set up your system with the drives, controller, and laptop? Post a pic if you can.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pa26617001bab433e08d92f386af624c7/f7dcee46.jpg

Interesting facts on the static Mike, I couldn't believe what came out of this thing.
It's now routine maintenence along with cleaning the drives.

[Cap]

Nice and clean, Rick. Superb presentation.