Sony VAIO PCG-632L

[hunterjwizzard]

Hell of a thrift store find. $20 untested, no power supply:

Complete with PCGA-DSM5 Dock:

Pentium III M 1ghz but a paltry 256mb of RAM. Looks like the graphics chip is an Intel 830M? I can't find any information on it, but it has to be graphically accelerated as the previous owner installed EverQuest.

I coincidently had a compatible PSU at home and when plugged it in, it posted just fine. The BIOS reports the hard disk as failed but Windows XP still loaded after a fashion. Looks like the unit had a new 80gb hard disk installed some years ago and reloaded from the setup disks(which obviously did not come with it). And only ever used the machine for music, internet, and EverQuest(who among us hasn't done the same?).

The rubber feet had disintegrated into some sort of glue-like compound. I had to use rubbing alcohol and paper towels to remove them completely(and the sockets are still sticky!!!)

A further complication is the socket for plugging the power supply into the dock is completely knackered, my guess is the previous owner left the power supply plugged in when he donated the laptop to the thrift store and it got ripped out along with the housing. Good news is that part appears to be replaceable.

The battery is not leaking but I have not fired it up. I just discovered an early 90s laptop in my collection that was destroyed by a leaky laptop battey(I didn't know they could do that!) so now I am feeling more cautious.

All in, the system needs: 1. a minor repair to the dock. 2. a lot of cleaning. 3. a new hard disk.

And in the end it will be a fully-functional retro laptop. Yay!

I have in my possession a new-old-stock PATA laptop drive bought for my defunct PC repair business. I could install that, or I could buy an SD to laptop adapter(or CF to laptop). I am happy wit this purchase.

 

[3lectr1c]

The rubber feet on old VAIOs do seemingly melt all the time. Must have used poor quality rubber formulation. My PCG-FX220 did the same when I got it.

The battery in your VAIO should be fine - leaking laptop main batteries only really are a problem when the battery chemistry is NiCad or NiMH. That laptop will have a Lithium Ion battery, and those don't leak.

The CMOS battery in many of the old VAIOs on the other hand WAS NiMH, and does leak. I don't think yours is one of them though.

Congrats on the find! These are great little laptops.

 

[hunterjwizzard]

This one should be new enough to be using a CR2032 for CMOS. It looks to be from about 2001 or so(late P3 era, but designed for Windows XP). I'll be absolutely STUNNED if its a NiMH suicide battery. I have to open it up to get at the hard disk anyway.

I've done some searching and can barely find any documentation this laptop exists(the tope search result right now for "Sony VAIO PCG-632L" is this very thread). Is it possible its a sub-type of several related models? I'd love to find the system restore CD if I could and get a look at this thing factory-fresh.

 

[3lectr1c]

The Sony model schemes were needlessly confusing.

Dell used the Varta batteries through 2003, and Sony used them once again in around 2009 (or some other ridiculously new time).

 

[hunterjwizzard]

The Sony model schemes were needlessly confusing.

Dell used the Varta batteries through 2003, and Sony used them once again in around 2009 (or some other ridiculously new time).

Oof. I didn't even think you could FIT a varta battery in most of these newer laptops.

 

[3lectr1c]

They fit one in the Toshiba Libretto.

There is no escape.