topic Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work! in PCs & Accessories

Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 15:18:56 GMT

The problem started when Microsoft SP2 was getting downloaded. Half way through, it got frizen!
I had to switch off the machine manually. When switched back on again everything had gone! All desktop icons,ncluding the "Start" button!
I took the laptop to PC World for repair. They said I have to use the System Recovery and Documentation Disk which I did. However when I put the disk in, nothing happens!

Has anyone had experience like this? I will be grateful for your advise.

Thanks
Sabi:smileyconfused:

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

kee-lo_ — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 15:48:57 GMT

Hi Sabi,

Sounds like it crashed during the installation process.
The best thing to do is press F2 when you see the VAIO Logo
Tell it to boot from CD
Insert the Recovery CD
save the settingd of the BIOS, this will restart the machine
The recovery process should be now running.
Follow on-screen instructions.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 16:25:12 GMT

Hi Kee-lo

Thanks for your reply.
I am not a computer expert, but I did press all the "F's" on the keyboard! when nothing happened. Do you mean I should press F2 continuesly?
I also couldn't understand the meaning of "tell it to boot from CD"? or "Save the setting of the BIOS"?
Sorry, but I said I am no expert !!!

I cannot wait to have my Vaio back to normal
Thanks again
Sabi

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Twisted-Rizla — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 16:40:21 GMT

Fire your machine up. When you see the Sony logo appear keep hiting the F2 key until you see a menu. On that menu will be the words " boot from cd". Click it then put your recovery disc in and wait a sec. You should then see another menu this time with an option that says "Save the setting of the BIOS. Click on that which will start the recovery process.
Good luck
(Sorry Kee-Lo if I've just repeated what you've just said but thought I'd "embelish" it a bit :smileygrin: )

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

kee-lo_ — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 18:22:01 GMT

Thanks TR, no problem....

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 10:52:18 GMT

Hi Twisted-Rizla;

Thank you for explaining the procedure clearly.
However when I switch on the laptop, I see the Window XP getting loaded, but then I get this message[ Explorer.EXE- Entry Point Not Found] underneath it says "The procedure entry point SHCreate ThreadRef could not be located in the dynamic link library SHWAPI.dII." when I press OK it goes to the desk top,with no desk top icons, not even the "Start" button, only the screen desktop picture.

I must mention that the only thing seems to work is "End Task Manager"! There is nothing in applications but when I click on performance there is 0% in CPU usage and 84.5MB in PF Usage What ever that means!!

I've pressed F2 with which I couldn't get anywhere. So how do you mean by "fire your machine up until you see Sony Logo" ?

At any stage when I put the recovery disk in, I see nothing . It is like the the machine is trying to do something but it cann't! I also tried the safe mode "F8" but the black screen comes up with no other modes to click on....!

I don't know what is really happening and why it's so difficult if not impossible to get back my Vaio to at least the manufacturers setting?
If it wasn't for flipping MS SP2 update, none of these would've happened.

Thanks again

Sabi

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

TygerTyger — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 14:00:40 GMT

What he means is as soon as the computer is switched on, press the F key until something happens, you will know when it does.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

kee-lo_ — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 19:35:07 GMT

Also try tthe ESC key on the top left corner of the keyboard.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 17:12:21 GMT

Hi everyone;

I have tried tapping F2 for at least 10min. Nothing happened. I pressed Esc as Kee-lo suggested, nothing happened either.

What I don't understant is; if the whole system is crashed,why the window XP gets downloaded everytime I switch on the laptop and why End Task Manager appears whenever I call it up??

Is there any hope to save my laptop?and if there is, what is it???? I paid over 2grand for it and hate to think, it's a waste now

Sabi

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Melmoo — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 17:30:21 GMT

Hello, i'm sapnish, i hope you understand my english.
I had one week ago, the same problem.
I switch on and off several times my computer (manually) and the last time, I gave it time to recover, and it was ok, nothing more, I also was afraid, but now it's working perfectly.
I think it needs time to put everything in the memory, give it (switch on) time, five or ten minutes.

If not, switch of, then switch on and press F10 continuously and then select one mode to continuous and just only intro, when it switch on, nothing happens but switch off and then what I said in the other paragraph. It's what I did.

If not, there is a number to phone to microsoft and they have a special number to solve this problem, lot of people have it.
Don't worry it's possible to solve it.

I hope you understand somethig, good luck

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

kee-lo_ — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 17:53:20 GMT

OK let me think, some BIOSes want you to press DEL to get into them too.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:34:53 GMT

Hi melmoo;

Thank you for your reply. Your English is fine and I understood all of it.

I have tried everything you mentioned. I have switched the machine on and off, left it to rest for an hour even for 24 hours, but nothing happened!

Now, to my horror the laptop is completely dead:smileysad:
When I switched it on 20 minutes ago,the vaio word appeared for a second then disappeard!!. When I switched it back on again,nothing came on ...only the dead black screen and the flickering lights near the keyboard...
I am so so sad.I cannot believe my laptop is dead 😞
I don't know where to take my laptop for repair as the only soney repair shop is many miles away from where I live

I do appreciate all your help and others, but I am still hoping someone who has gone through the same thing as I have and could bring back his/her laptop to life, could kindly give me some advice.

Take care
Sabi

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Melmoo — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:44:57 GMT

Hi Sabi

So sorry.
Why don't you phone to microsoft?

I did it because I've got two computers and I need it for one of them.

They'll help you.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

kee-lo_ — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:53:12 GMT

Sabi

If you call VAIO-Link tomorrow morning they can arrange a pickup.
There's a repair centre near Heathrow they take it to, so hopefully you'll have it back in a few days.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 19:07:43 GMT

Hi Kee-lo

Do they really pick up the laptop from where I am? My one year guarantee finished 2 months ago, but I don't mind to pay as long as it not over my limit.
Do you possibily have their number? I am sorry to ask you that, but I cannot think straight at the moment. I grab any help !
I just want my laptop repaired

Thanks a milion.
Sabi

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

Sabi — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 19:12:30 GMT

Thanks melmoo;

I have to ask you the same thing as I've asked Kee-lo! What is the phone number of Microsoft? or where do I get it from in UK?

Many Thanks
Sabi

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

robpaxton — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 19:20:49 GMT

The Sony contacts list is here

Hope it doesn't work out too expensive for you.

Re: Help! My Vaio crashed! Recovery disk won't work!

kee-lo_ — Sun, 24 Oct 2004 22:05:20 GMT

Yeah they will, but I really hope it's not too expensive, as there are some good repair stores in London...