# Sony Vaio Recovery Partition



## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

OK trying to get my sony to boot from recovery partition. Im not so good with command prompt, but thats all i got since my C drive is corrupt and only the recovery partition is in working order. When i do dir/a:h of my recovery partion (Eit just says 

0 files 
1 dir.

then i type attrib and i get 4 files
E:\autorun.inf
E:\bootmgr
E:\HDD
E:\snyhdrcv.ini


am I even on the right track, i dont think these are the files im looking for Sorry for being slow but this is the closest topic i can find related to my problem and i think this would work if i could only GET THERE

HELP!


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Shut the system down.

Boot-up, press the F10 key

F10 is used on most systems to invoke the recovery partition.


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

It reboots before it will recognize the f10, its stuck in a reboot loop. C primary partition is corrupt and i guess this is why it is stuck in the loop


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

Oh i thought this was created in an earlier thread but just noticed it was closed and my reply created a new thread, for clarity this is the route that i think is the way for me to go
What i am trying to do is highlighted in red

harrypotel 
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1 
OS: Windows 7 RC1 

Re: Sony Vaio Recovery Partition 
Quote:Originally Posted by naeo 
In his post, he said that he had the Vista Ultimate DVD, that can be used as Vista Recovery too. In fact Vista Recovery Disc is a lite version of Vista DVD.

As a matter of fact, a few hours ago when I read this post, I was looking for solutions to this problem too. Much to my frustration, it turned out to be very simple when it works. I know it's a month old thread but hope that my post will help other that experience this problem in the future.

Actually the mbr on c: has nothing to do with that or it has something to do in some kind of ways, i'm not sure. However, the important thing to know is that the hidden partition do a back-up itself everytime the 'bcd' file where mbr info is contained, is overwritten.

Vaio laptop, like every other laptops that have a hidden partition. This partition itself has an OS to run the Recovery. When C: is installed by another OS (Linux, XP,...) the mbr info is overwritten in every partition that is bootable. This applies to the hidden partition too. That is why you cannot launch the Recovery by pressing Alt F10 or F10 (depending on laptop brand).

To fix this you need a Vista Recovery CD or the Windows Vista DVD itself to launch Vista Computer Repair Service.

In Windows Vista setup first or second windows (depending if you have to choose the language and keyboard type), click Repair Computer in low left corner. It might not list the partition that you wish to repair. Even if it is listed there, you cannot fix it just by repair its boot information from the CD/DVD. 

Click Cancel to go back to Vista Recovery wizard where you have many options to repair your computer or restore the system point.

Open the CommandPrompt there.

From the CommandPrompt window, you need to go to that hidden partition. If you know its drive letter, great! Otherwise, just try one by one till you reach there. If it is not there, you can use diskpart to make it available. For command syntax with diskpart http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc766465.aspx

From this partition, use CD command line to get into hidden directory boot. Type dir /a:h to display the file 'bcd' inside this boot folder. You will also see in this directory the backup files of bcd. I don't remember how many times did I mess it up but I saw 4 backup files there. What you do is to restore the original 'bcd' file (usually the oldest backup).

Use the attrib command to remove read-only and system attributes from both backup and current bcd files (type attrib /? if you forget/don't know how). Then use copy command to copy the backup file to the current bcd (type copy /? if you forget/don't know how). You will be asked if you wanted to overwrite the file, type Y then Enter to confirm.

Exit CommandPrompt and restart your computer. Press F10 continuously as POS, you will be able to launch the manufacturer's Recovery Partition.

It took me 3 days of research and thinking to finally figure it out. I could not find a solution by googling but it did help me collect a lot of infos to figure out where the problem was.

Dude, you are a genius!!! Thanks a lot, I've wasted all day trying to get this freakin' partition to boot and you finally fixed this. I was desperate, didn't know what to do, I've even instaled Kubuntu trying to use GRUB to boot.

Thanks, thanks a lot. And for anybody that has this problem with a VAIO, this is the way to go, restore the original BCD file and voilá.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

InCollege4Life said:


> It reboots before it will recognize the f10, going this route was not my first choice


From a cold boot-up, the system re-boots? After how many seconds? Anything come up on screen?

Immediately after power-up, press F10 and hold key down.

What does "going this route... not first choice" mean?

`


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

InCollege4Life said:


> Oh i thought this was created in an earlier thread but just noticed it was closed and my reply created a new thread, for clarity this is the route that i think is the way for me to go
> 
> 
> harrypotel
> ...



We x-posted.

Where is all the above from?

jcgriff2

.


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

its from this forum http://www.techsupportforum.com/f217/sony-vaio-recovery-partition-374052.html

From a cold boot it shows the splash screen then reboots about 2 secs later.
Going this route is meaning having to use the command prompt instead of the usual f10 for windows options. i have to boot from cd to do anything


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

How do you get to cmd/DOS prompt if the system re-boots in 2 seconds?

F10 is for recovery options, one of which s/b the restore of system to factory default settings.

If you can boot from DVD, use recovery discs.

jcgriff2

.


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

Booting from the vista cd I made which is the only thing that interupts the loop, vista repair options has command prompt, I cant simply repair the drive since the drive is not listed in the Select which drive you want to repair box. I dont have any recovery discs.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

You "made" the Vista disc? If so, it is not Genuine and will not work.

If the recovery partition does not work/ cannot access it, you will need to contact Sony Support and order replacement Vista recovery DVDs. I did same for an HP system in 2008; total cost including s/h < $30. I do not know what Sony charges for same.

http://esupport.sony.com/EN/VAIO/

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

i can access the My recovery partition, it does work i just need to boot from it. the disc from sony is 28 plus shipping thanks for that info but i know i can contact sony for that disc.

i have essentially that disc on my recovery partition that i can access but i do not know how to use the command prompt efficiently enough to make it boot from that partition.

microsoft have thankfully made a recovery disc. It contains the contents of the Windows Vista DVD's "recovery center. SO yeah it does what i need it to do which IS GIVE ME A COMMAND PROMPT.

I just need to know how to make my laptop boot from the partition with just using the command prompt

*Everyone else just please read what is highlighted in red earlier, That is where Im at except im stuck at what to do/commands in the command prompt window*


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

InCollege4Life said:


> i can access the My recovery partition, it does work i just need to boot from it. the disc from sony is 28 plus shipping thanks for that info but i know i can contact sony for that disc.


You boot into recovery. . . F10 may not be the correct key sequence. Some systems like Toshiba use the 0 (zero) key, others = F11, etc...



InCollege4Life said:


> i have essentially that disc on my recovery partition that i can access but i do not know how to use the command prompt efficiently enough to make it boot from that partition.


The Sony OEM recovery DVD is = to the Sony OEM recovery partition. They perform the exact same function. However, you cannot simply copy the recovery drive to DVD. It will not work.



InCollege4Life said:


> microsoft have thankfully made a recovery disc. It contains the contents of the Windows Vista DVD's "recovery center. SO yeah it does what i need it to do which IS GIVE ME A COMMAND PROMPT.


The recovery DVD would be a Sony OEM recovery disc... would not have come from Microsoft.



InCollege4Life said:


> I just need to know how to make my laptop boot from the partition with just using the command prompt


You are at the cmd/DOS prompt because you booted with non-Genuine DVD (from what I have thus far gathered from prior posts). You have obviously suffered a catastrophic system event, given that you cannot boot from HDD into normal Windows, SAFEMODE or recovery. Normally when the system is unable to boot into normal Windows, it will automatically boot into recovery using the HDD recovery partition.

When you boot from non-OEM Vista bootable DVD, files are loaded into RAM - "drive x: " - a RAM disk.




InCollege4Life said:


> *Everyone else just please read what is highlighted in red earlier, That is where Im at except im stuck at what to do/commands in the command prompt window*


You must boot from a Sony OEM recovery DVD or the HDD recovery partition. 

Check owner's manual on Sony Support site - get the model # from bottom of laptop) and verify that F10 is in fact the correct key sequence for HDD recovery boot.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

OK i know what key it is, F11, it still will not boot from recovery partition by pressing F11. It reboots every 2 seconds or faster if i press F11 before 2 secs.

So you are saying I cannot boot form the Recovery Partition?

The cd is not the issue, once i pull up the command prompt i can acces the E: (recovery partition) on the HDD. The CD is from microsoft and it is the VIsta recovery center. I cannot select my partition from there most likely since C: is corrupt.

SO as the same instance as above in RED but for different Reasons I am using Vista Recovery to pull up a command prompt
*
I just want to know how to boot from the recovery Partition SINCE F11 doesnt work. By using the command prompt dialogue*

I know there is another way for this to happen


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Booting into/ from the recovery partition involves a system re-start. If F11 is the key and it does boot the system into recovery, I would have to say that the recovery partition is damaged along with the recovery-related files found on the OS drive as well. The OS drive and the recovery partition "talk" to each other.

I assure you that I understand your frustration here and and am not playing a game of semantics with you. If I had a direct answer to your question, I would provide it to you.

I am unfamiliar with the Windows Recovery Environment disc that you said Microsoft provided to you as kb927392 states -


> To run the Bootrec.exe tool, you must start Windows RE. To do this, follow these steps:
> 
> 1. Put the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
> 2. Press a key when you are prompted.
> ...


You do not have #1 - the Sony OEM Vista recovery DVD.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## InCollege4Life (Apr 23, 2010)

ok figured it out. 
using my made disk opened command prompt
from there finally made the recovery partition the primary (just thought i did earlier i guess)
booting from recovery now


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