computer boot error--urgent help needed!

[__Camouflage__]

Have you tried booting into Safe-Mode yet? Try that, before you use the recovery CD, press F8, once you see the computer power on... Then choose Safe-Mode, if it were a video driver, either roll back, or uninstall.

 

[calgirl2]

all booting modes, including safe boot, wont get beyond the point where my system restarts again. i cannot log into my computer under any booting mode.


(when i had successfully recovered the first time, i was only given two options, to either recover my C:\ or recover both C:\ and D:\, so i chose only C:\)


okay, trying the CD now! *crosses fingers*


(how ironic that i decided to not buy a new macbook during black friday because i thought i could wring out some more miles on my vaio....)

 

[calgirl2]

ok.. im going through the CD recovery process....

[ ] Windows System Restore (option not even available to click)

[X] C drive recovery to factory-installed state, partitioned D drive unaffected

[ ] Custom recovery for advanced users:
suboption: [ ] C and D Drive recovery, or
suboption: [ ] Complete Recovery (only available through Recovery Media Kit to factory settings)



...install progressing ok so far. *crosses fingers*

 

[calgirl2]

i think my CD drive crapped out because the install progress has stayed at 29% for very long, and i can hear the CD drive working extra hard. im not sure if it's the drive's fault or if my CD is damaged (there are slight scratches), but my drive has questionable performance.

now what should i do? there are no cancel buttons i can push and my computer isnt prompting me to do anything. it just keeps revving the CD drive. i do have a usb floppy drive. can i make any boot/recovery disks on floppy from a different computer to load on my vaio?

 

[calgirl2]

sony tech support is illiterate (you should find the other tech support incident i posted regarding my power adapter)!!!! (i am kathy)

check out their tech support:


user kathy has entered room

analyst Hank_ has entered room

Hank_> Hi Kathy. Welcome to Sony Online Support. IÂ’m Hank. Please allow me a moment to review your concern.

kathy> hi hank

Hank_> Thanks for waiting, Kathy. I'll be glad to assist you in providing the information about the Recovery.

kathy> i recently reformatted my computer (using the recovery option during bootup), and after installing microsoft updates, my computer encountered fatal errors

kathy> i restarted my computer after the update and now my computer wont stop restarting. it never goes to windows login screen

Hank_> Just to confirm, did you perform a clean install of the Operating System?

kathy> i did a C:\ recovery, leaving my partitioned D:\ unaffected

kathy> i somehow cannot access the recovery option during startup, as i did before, so now ive resorted to using the vaio recovery CD that i ordered

kathy> however, installation by CD always stops at 29% and this is where i am stuck at currently

kathy> i dont know if my drive or the disc is to blame

Hank_> When did it last work normally?

kathy> 2 days ago

kathy> i did a successful reformat and was reinstalling my standard software, and it was fine after all the reboots

kathy> it went through several rounds of msupdates fine too

kathy> the error happened after another round of msupdates (with 60 updates installing)

kathy> my vaio was bought about 4 years ago, so perhaps it was a service pack conflict

Hank_> Have you installed any new Software or Hardware?

kathy> just basic ones such as AIM chat and my mozilla browser

kathy> and all the msupdates

Hank_> Do you get any error messages?

kathy> whatever i installed couldnt have caused a fatal error

kathy> after the msupdate reboot, the startup process would just restart over and over

kathy> there is a brief flicker of a blue screen with FATAL ERROR and then it proceeds to restart

kathy> right now i am trying to recover from CD and the progress is simply stopped at 29%, with prompts/messages of any kind. maybe my CD is scratched, i dont know

kathy> would it be possible to request Sony to send me a new disc? i had previously ordered one from Sony and i dont want to have to pay for another one

kathy> since i cannot login to windows, i cannot create any of my own recovery CDs

Hank_> We should try resetting the BIOS, then check if the issue is resolved. I'll be glad to send a link if you do not know how.

kathy> please link me

kathy> does that mean i turn off my computer during the CD recovery? its permanently stopped at 29% with no options to cancel

Hank_> I would like to forward a link to a page where you can view the procedure to reset the BIOS to its default values.

Hank_> When you receive the link please click on it to open the page and let me know if you are able to view it.

Hank_> http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/autoresponsev4.asp?id=94679

Hank_> Are you able to view the page?

kathy> yes

kathy> this bio reset shouldnt have anything to do with my system error

kathy> additionally, bc my recovery has crashed at 29%, i no longer have an operating system

kathy> i confirmed the bios reset and it goes to the error message "missing operating system"

kathy> i need to recover my harddrive because of the faulty mid-install

kathy> is there a way i can create recovery discs? i am counting on the fact that maybe my recovery disc is scratched but my drive still works

kathy> i would need to download the recovery information from elsewhere because my vaio does not load. i would have to do it on a second computer

kathy> i also have a floppy drive

Hank_> Kathy, I suggest that you perform a System Recovery, then check if the issue is resolved.

kathy> i told you that i have been doing a system recovery

kathy> i am doing it this very second

kathy> i am doing it from the recovery CD, which stops at 29%

kathy> i cannot do it from windows bc i cannot load windows

Hank_> Let me forward another link where you can view the procedure to perform a system recovery using the VAIO Recovery Wizard. Let me know when you're there.

kathy> no

kathy> no

kathy> no

Hank_> http://www.iq.sony.com/srvs/autoresponsev4.asp?id=291331

kathy> i cannot load windows

kathy> i cannot get to recovery wizard

Hank_> Please restart the computer and press F10 when the Sony logo appears and check if you are able to access the VAIO Recovery Wizard.

kathy> i cannot access it

kathy> i already did that during my first successful recovery

kathy> after the crash following the msupdate, i can no longer access that F10 recovery option

kathy> i have to do a recovery from a boot disc

Hank_> Kathy, as much as I would have liked to solve this issue, based on the information youÂ’ve provided, it seems your Notebook needs service.

Hank_> Shall I forward a link where you can find a repair location, the Sony repair cost, or initiate a repair?

kathy> can you send me a recovery CD

kathy> in the chance that my recovery CD is scratched and my CD drive is still okay?

kathy> i have ordered one before so i dont want to pay for another one

kathy> i am unable to create my own recovery disk because i cannot log into my computer

Hank_> Kathy, as the Recovery CDs are not available for purchase online, I suggest that you contact our Direct Accessories and Parts Center at 1-800-488-7669 to check for the availability of the compatible CDs.

Hank_> The hours of operation are as follows:
7:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Friday, Central Time.
8:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturdays, Central Time.
11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Sundays, Central Time.

Hank_> They will be happy to further assist you.

kathy> really? i had ordered my CD online

kathy> but all right, i will call them so i can explain my situation

kathy> thank you for your help!

 

[Bruce]

This is why people pirate software, You have a legal copy of xp that is useless cause sony couldn't give you a disk with a clean copy of windows on it.



You can try to copy ur install disk on a diff comp and see if that helps.

do you have the option to boot from usb? maybe copy the files to a usb drive and boot from there.

 

[calgirl2]

well thankfully, my work computer (that im currently on) has a DVD burner, so im attempting to duplicate my recovery DVD. the contents are a few gigs large, so i suppose i could put it on my ipod but id rather not get another piece of hardware involved with my crazy vaio just yet!



haha, also, i called sony accessories/parts and they said they no longer carry recovery discs for my model.

 

[Bruce]

Or maybe a network install, if it supports it.

 

[calgirl2]

sigh. i copied the vaio recovery DVD via roxio disc copier but my laptop doesnt seem to recognize the DVD during startup. i hear it reading but nothing prompts and proceeds to faulty startup again.


my last resort now is to borrow my friend's legit copy of winxp cd. not sure whats gonna happen to the vaio-specific features. my drivers are going to go beserk!

 

[EricB]

see if you can borrow another cd rom usb drive. before you do that run memtest86. you install is getting stuck for 1 of 3 reasons

1. bad ram. memtest86 (google it) will rule that out

2.sorry cd/dvd rom drive. this is the number one cause of installation failure. the manufacture did a network install so that how they installed windows.

3. Scratched cd. they would have to be bad scratches to stop in the middle of a install

I wish that you wouldn't destroy that backup partition. I could show you more ways to install windows.