Sony does not care about their customers

[whs]

Before you buy a Sony product, you may want to read my story.

I bought an $1100 Vaio laptop from them. At first there were problems with it and they sent a tachnician to the house to exchange the motherboard. That was good service.

But the first time I wanted to run a live CD (which runs under Linux), there was no way to operate that program because the cursor was frozen. I tried a few other live CDs with the same result.

Hours of calling Sony and they finally agreed to look at it in their service center in Laredo, Tx. They sent me a prepaid box and I sent it in. I included 2 live CDs for testing - the Macrium recovery CD and the Partition Wizard bootable CD.

Today I get a call from one of their technicians telling me that this model (VPCF1390X) was not designed to run Linux and that the system runs as specified. He did, however, try my CDs on other Sony models where they worked. Of course nobody told me that before I dished out the $1100.

Then I called their customer care center asking to exchange the bit. They gave me a flat NO and told me that they could do nothing for me. I asked to escalate the problem but the person on the line insisted that she was the highest escalation level.

Now I am stuck with a $1100 piece of junk.

 

[richnrockville]

WHS, Reading the specifications for the VPCF1390X of course does not talk about other operating systems except windows 7.

Looks like you have a good windows 7 machine.

I don't remember many of the OEM's outside of Dell offering any of their computers where they offer Linux or other operating systems.

I think your too hard on Sony when you should have talked to them before you bought it.

I recommend you give it to one of your family as they probably won't want to install linux.

Rich

 

[bug67]

Of course nobody told me that before I dished out the $1100.

Did you think to ask? Honestly, I do feel your pain but, I can't see how this is Sony's fault.

On a side, Sony hasn't been very Linux friendly in the past.

 

[Hopalong X]

Today I get a call from one of their technicians telling me that this model (VPCF1390X) was not designed to run Linux and that the system runs as specified. He did, however, try my CDs on other Sony models where they worked. Of course nobody told me that before I dished out the $1100.

If they don't work on Sony that really suxs...but then why the above result I highlighted in red?

It does not make sense to me but what do I know.

 

[Solarstarshines]

WHS can they atleast give you a OEM copy and you can reformat and try for yourself ?

Seriously it is a computer just like all the others why wouldn't it run Multiple OS it has the same parts as any other machine that will do Multiples

I'm thinking they didn't want to bother with you cause that is flat out nonsense

When a customer is not happy with a product and it is brought to attention in a short amount of time is nonsense /They are supposed to refund you and Exchange for something that fits your needs

I would go as far as to write a letter and Explain to them there product didn't give detail features that they should not everyone know's this information they told you

To me it is BS honestly ,I would call back and Imediatly talk to a manager and get names numbers and start writting Sony directly to someone that is much Higher then Tech support level

 

[Solarstarshines]

Of course nobody told me that before I dished out the $1100.

Did you think to ask? Honestly, I do feel your pain but, I can't see how this is Sony's fault.

On a side, Sony hasn't been very Linux friendly in the past.

Why should he have to ask they should list everything and I DO MEAN EVERYTHING it will it won't do they just Joshed him out of 1100 bucks because there sony and they can give a rats turd about customer service cause there that big

I worked in customer service for 12 years the customer is always right it was just some lazy worker that didnt want to follow the process of fixing his situation

 

[Hopalong X]

+1 Solarstar

You aren't installing an OS. Just running a CD.

Sounds like a CD player/driver problem possibly. It won't recognize the Linux.
OP's have problems all the time of not recognizing CD brands or DVD's etc. Bluray players with no Bluray. Just a thought.

 

[BrightBlessings]

Caveat Emptor

 

[Petey7]

Is it Sony's fault that you bought a computer that cannot run Linux? No.

Is it their fault that you are upset? Yes.

Should they allow you to make an exchange? Yes.

Would I, after reading your review, buy a Sony? No. I probably would not anyways, but after reading this, definitely no.

 

[whs]

WHS, Reading the specifications for the VPCF1390X of course does not talk about other operating systems except windows 7.

Looks like you have a good windows 7 machine.

I don't remember many of the OEM's outside of Dell offering any of their computers where they offer Linux or other operating systems.

I think your too hard on Sony when you should have talked to them before you bought it.

I recommend you give it to one of your family as they probably won't want to install linux.

Rich

I am not trying to install Linux. I am just trying to run live CDs - e.g. the Macrium image recovery CD or the Partition Wizard bootable CD. Else I cannot recover from an image or do certain things on the disk. I am trying the WAIK version now, but have problems with the Macrium site. Can't win.

 

[whs]

WHS can they atleast give you a OEM copy and you can reformat and try for yourself ?

Seriously it is a computer just like all the others why wouldn't it run Multiple OS it has the same parts as any other machine that will do Multiples

I'm thinking they didn't want to bother with you cause that is flat out nonsense

When a customer is not happy with a product and it is brought to attention in a short amount of time is nonsense /They are supposed to refund you and Exchange for something that fits your needs

I would go as far as to write a letter and Explain to them there product didn't give detail features that they should not everyone know's this information they told you

To me it is BS honestly ,I would call back and Imediatly talk to a manager and get names numbers and start writting Sony directly to someone that is much Higher then Tech support level

It is not a question of the installed Windows. When you load the live CD, Windows is not even in the loop. They have a very particular cursor interface on this particular system that is only recognized by their Win7 driver - that's the problem.

 

[whs]

+1 Solarstar

You aren't installing an OS. Just running a CD.

Sounds like a CD player/driver problem possibly. It won't recognize the Linux.
OP's have problems all the time of not recognizing CD brands or DVD's etc. Bluray players with no Bluray. Just a thought.

That is not the problem. The programs load fine from the CD. But then the cursor is frozen.

 

[Hopalong X]

That is not the problem. The programs load fine from the CD. But then the cursor is frozen.

My bad.

 

[Maguscreed]

That makes absolutely no sense from a design standpoint.

Pretty much every utility disc I use runs off those type of live cd setups and this is retarded to me.

Why would a machine be made that couldn't function with them?
This is actually the first I'm ever hearing of someone having something like that.

The whole problem here is why was this an issue in the first place?
I'm kind of ticked at sony over this, only for putting out something that would function this way in the first place, as it just makes no sense.

Must be from the

- collect underpants
- ....
- profit

school of computer design and implementation.

 

[whs]

That makes absolutely no sense from a design standpoint.

Pretty much every utility disc I use runs off those type of live cd setups and this is retarded to me.

Why would a machine be made that couldn't function with them?
This is actually the first I'm ever hearing of someone having something like that.

The whole problem here is why was this an issue in the first place?
I'm kind of ticked at sony over this, only for putting out something that would function this way in the first place, as it just makes no sense.

Must be from the

- collect underpants
- ....
- profit

school of computer design and implementation.

You are absolutely right David. It makes no sense - epecially since the other Sony systems do not seem to have this problem. I have been in Computers since over 50 years but I have never seen a thing like that. Who would have thought to first ask whether live CDs work. That is like asking whether a car will have a steering wheel before you buy it.

 

[bug67]

I am not trying to install Linux. I am just trying to run live CDs - e.g. the Macrium image recovery CD or the Partition Wizard bootable CD. Else I cannot recover from an image or do certain things on the disk. I am trying the WAIK version now, but have problems with the Macrium site. Can't win.

Sorry, my bad. I misunderstood. Yeah, that sounds wonky.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

WHS,
You luck with Sony is my luck with electronics.




You need to take your complaint to a much higher level.
THW

 

[Maguscreed]

That is like asking whether a car will have a steering wheel before you buy it.

I was actually looking for a handy analogy to use myself, I guess that one works.

 

[metalmania31]

I still fail to see how Sony has any culpability in it not being able to run a linux live cd. It functions within it's design specs and is designed to run windows based software. Sony has no obligation to make sure it runs non windows based software.
As for not exchanging it that seems like BS. Unless you've had the laptop for way too long from purchase.

 

[Maguscreed]

I still fail to see how Sony has any culpability in it not being able to run a linux live cd. It functions within it's design specs and is designed to run windows based software. Sony has no obligation to make sure it runs non windows based software.
As for not exchanging it that seems like BS. Unless you've had the laptop for way too long from purchase.

From what I'm understanding it will run no boot device that isn't windows.
I actually chased this down a little bit.
This machine is useless, even as a tech I wouldn't want to have to work on it because it lacks the basic hardware code support to use general utilities. Forget about any partitioning suite like acronis too.

No if this was done for a reason I can't think of it. They actually strayed here to I doubt it saved them any money in production or anything. The foundation is already in use on all their other systems.

This is bad mojo. I certainly hope it's not something manufacturers are tinkering around with. It will make third party support very difficult and nearly impossible in many situations.

This goes beyond a minor inconvenience it basically means the system can only ever be serviced by sony with their software for it, and they're just going to give you what WHS got.

This is really something no one should have been expected to ask about either. I can't ever recall needing to ask 'will this run a live cd' because this is MAC behavior. Not PC behavior.