# Vaio problem. windows not starting, recovery not working



## monsieur fatso (Oct 24, 2007)

I own a Sony Vaio VGN-N230E and have Windows Vista Home Premium.

Last night I was in the middle of writing a paper for school, when my laptop froze. I could move the mouse around, but ctrl+alt+del didn't do anything, and I couldn't do anything. I eventually just held down the power button until the machine turned off, and turned it back on. It would start up, and windows explorer would just keep crashing on me. I restarted it by selecting restart from the drop down menu a few times, and this kept happening. Then the last time I was able to restart it, this message came up:



> Windows error recovery
> 
> windows failed to start. a recent hardware or software change might be the cause.
> 
> ...


If I try to just start windows normally, the vista load screen will come up for about 4 seconds, and then just shut off, and the computer will restart and go back to the previous message.

When I launch startup repair, it opens the VAIO Recovery Center which gives me 4 options to choose from. Windows System-restore, Vaio Hardware Diagnostics, Restore C: Drive, and Rescue Data. 

I tried system restore first, and it says I don't have any points to restore to, which is ********. Hardware diagnostics is a test to see if the problem is hardware related. I open it up, and a screen with 2 tabs comes up. Quick test, which tests the cpu, memory, and hard disk, and tools. Quick test comes back clean.
Under tools is a section that says:


> Hard Disk verify and repair:
> Scan hard disk sectors and repair defective sectors. You may continue using the hard disk if the diagnostic results or repairs are successful. Testing may take over 1 hour, depending on the disk size


If I try that, I select the c: drive, select the option "fix errors on the disk." and hit start. It'll start doing that, but it always freezes at 2%. I let it run all night last night, and this morning it was still at 2%.

The third option, restore c: drive doesn't do anything either. It says it will format the drive, restore my operating system, and install custom programs. Basically return it to the condition it was in when I bought it. I hit start, and the message "No System Partition" comes up. I hit ok, and it takes me back.

Rescue data also doesn't do anything. I guess its supposed to allow me to retrieve some data and save it to like an external hard drive, but I have most of what I need backed up already, so I'm not too concerned. 

If I close the VAIO Recovery Center window, a small window titled 'recovery' opens, saying "OS not detected on the C: drive. Restore the C: drive or restore the complete system." I hit ok, and the computer just shuts off.

Has anyone else experienced or heard of this happening? Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do? I would try and put in the vista disc, but for some reason I didn't get one when I bought my computer. Any help would be awesome. I don't want to have to take it in, because I don't really have any money. Thanks.


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## belfasteddie (Aug 4, 2007)

I would think that where the Fix disc option is sticking at 2% suggests to me an error with the Disk surface. Can you get into safe mode?


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## monsieur fatso (Oct 24, 2007)

I can't. I took it to the tech department at my campus today, and they told me to contact sony and ask for a recovery disc. They didn't even really look at it. 

I think I might just send it in to Sony. I didn't think I had my warranty on it left, but now after looking around on the site, I think I still do. Would they be able to tell me if I only have like the serial number on the bottom?

Also, to add to my troubles, my backup computer that I was using, well, the hard drive failed on that yesterday morning. :sigh:


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## PhoenixHacker (Feb 6, 2008)

My friend has the EXACT same problem. The computer spontaneously crashed, can't find any restore points or an operating system. I tried booting in safe mode with the command prompt and it just restarted after loading some files. I also tried recovering files but it just sat there. I advised her to take her laptop and restore disks to our school's IT or send it to Sony. Does anyone know more about this problem? I'll post here if I find anything else out.


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## bhahar84 (Jan 7, 2008)

Hi monsieur fatso!!

Can you try boot up the laptop, and try to enter the BIOS. Is your hard drive detected there?


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## PhoenixHacker (Feb 6, 2008)

IT declared the problem to be something to do with the motherboard. My friend will likely be getting a new computer and trying to find a way to salvage the hard drive.


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## bhahar84 (Jan 7, 2008)

PhoenixHacker said:


> IT declared the problem to be something to do with the motherboard. My friend will likely be getting a new computer and trying to find a way to salvage the hard drive.


Do you using a laptop as well, PhoenixHacker? Then, if the issue is with the motherboard, seems like nothing much we can do, unless send it back to manufacturer and repair :grin:


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