Recovery Can i restore the computer using this hidden partition with a new operative system such as Windows 7 instead of Windows vista, if i can, how? Thanks in advance. My name is Hans.

SOURCE: Does the fj270 recovery disk from ebay make the computer like new with a blank harddrive?

Hi,

Normally yes. If the recovery disk is an original from Sony and/or an exact reproduction then it should reinstall Windows XP (which I believe is the original OS) complete with appropriate drivers and proprietary utilities/applications from Sony. Alternately, you can just pop in a Windows OEM installer CD and use the key printed on a sticker underneath the notebook. Thereafter an update or a visit to Sony website should enable you to download/install necessary drivers.

The notebook must of course be instructed to boot from the CD. This could be done by entering into your CMOS/BIOS and selecting the CD drive as the priority boot medium.

Hope this be of initial help/idea. Pls post back how things turned up or should you need additional information.

Good luck and kind regards.

Thank you for using FixYa.

SOURCE: restoring operating system for Vaio VGN-S460

Not necessarily. Formatting the hard drive will only wipe the data on the partition being formatted. The restore partition, if it exists, will still be there.

I have read that the restore partition can be accessed by pressing F10 at startup. As I don't own this sony machine, I can't verify that.

SOURCE: Vaio VGN-S460 How can I create a recovery media kit for my laptop

Hi Francine , no need to go to dos.

It's under Start > Help and Support. Scroll down and you'll see the recovery program hyperlink.

Here are instructions from their website. Interesting that they dont tell you HOW to launch the recovery wizard. Very helpful

http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=C1000001&sliceId=2&docTypeID=DT_KNOWLEDGEARTICLES_1_1&dialogID=75941388&stateId=0%200%2075943763

Hope this helps.

Oh BTW , make sure you back up your data before using these recovery disks as they will overwrite your data.

kbdesign

• 370 Answers
• Posted on Mar 13, 2009

SOURCE: No restore cd, windows won't load, corrupted ntoskrnl error msg

You might try tapping F10 after you see the Sony screen, and see if you computer will go into the recovery mode from the hidden partition. I just did that to my Sony, and it worked great.

Let me know, OK?

SOURCE: Can't restore factory intallations and settings: Vaio VGN-FE880E

Are you doing DESTRUCTIVE recoveries or are you doing NONDESTRUCTIVE recoveries? Try another hard drive in the machine and recover to that. Nondestructive recoveries replace the operating system without destroying the personal data. Its possible the original problem is propagating over to the recovered systems. Do a destructive recovery. Understand any data not backed up will be destroyed. Possible the original problem was a trojan virus.