Sony Vaio laptop - Problems carrying out full restore using restore discs - error 323:41

[homelyn1977]

Hi

I have a Vaio VGN-FW11M laptop, served me well for a couple of years, due to severe problems decided to use the restore discs to restore back to factory settings.

Unable to do this as an error is shown during the 'restore complete system' process for disc 1.

Error code - 323:41 at 17% restore. Followed  by 319, then 320 then 330 and defaults back to Recovery centre.

Does anyone know what this means please?

Now there is nothing I can do, folders are available in 'boot' and 'microsoft' folders, but no files (!) no informaion is left on hard drive, looked at it from the Dos prompt, the restore comes up with error everytime.

Does anyone have any ideas please?

Thanks

Eric

[Blencogo]

Hi Eric,

Have you checked if the Recovery Partition is still on the hard drive?  At startup, as soon as you see the Vaio Logo, tap F10 repeatedly.  If the Recovery Partition is still present, the Recovery from Hard drive should begin and you can try "Recover Complete System" and SKIP the next two screens from there.  You will not see this partition in DOS as it is a hidden partition.

It sounds like your Recovery Discs are corrupted - have a look at this Sony Knowledgebase article: -

http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=C1000995&sliceId=3&mdl=VGNSZ780U

You could try copying the discs on another computer but if all else fails, you may need to buy a replacement Recovery Disc Set from Vaio Support.

[homelyn1977]

Hi

thanks for prompt answer.....

The recovery discs appear to be OK. The system starts up to eghe Vaio recovery centre, when I try to restore complete system it bounces me at about 15% complete.

I have a new original version of MS XP which I could load onto the laptop, do you kwon if this is possible or has Sony locked th system out.

For instance how can I format the drive to clean it and then install XP ?

Cheers

Eric

[homelyn1977]

HGi again

when I restart and press F100 repeatedl I get a screen which states

'Windows failed to start.......

then asks for windows installation disc (which I don't have) and there is no way of pointing at the recovery nad asks to contact Sony for disc.

So I beleive I am stuffed and need to to install a freesh installationof windows, be it XP (I have a disc) , or Win7

So again the questionis ow to format to accept windows XP?

Cheers

eric

[Blencogo]

Hi Eric.

Installing XP, although possible, will have some problems.

1.  Sony do not support XP on your model and so there are NO drivers and utilities available for XP.  This means you will have to track down drivers (if they exist) on a one-by-one basis and it is very unlikely that you will get everything to work.  Someone else here may have tried it and be able to offer advice.

2.  Your Vaio has a SATA hard drive - so if you try to install XP it will not recognise your hard drive.  XP does not support SATA.  You will have to load the SATA drivers from a floppy disc drive by pressing F6 when you reach the setup screen.  Alternatively, you can make a "slipstreamed" installation disc with the necessary drivers included in the install disc.

Try Google for "Installing XP on a SATA hard drive" and also look at the nLite website here: -

http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html

It would probably be better to install Windows 7 as most of the required drivers can be found on your model's support pages here: -

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/VGN-FW11M/updates

[homelyn1977]

Thanks Blencogo,  will try out Win 7

Cheers

Eric