Sony Vaio SVF152A29M: System Installer Fails After Attempted Reset - Possible Fixes?

Hello,

The girl has a problem with her Vaio (model as in the topic). By default, when something happened to the system or the computer was silted up and not working anymore, she used the "Assist" button according to the instructions and the system was reset / installed again and that's it. Easy even for the less tech savvy - the equipment does everything for you.

Unfortunately, after the last attempt to restore the system to its initial state, the computer did not wake up. On startup, a blue screen pops up as below, followed by a series of successive restore options (i.e. diagnosis and repair attempt) that end identically ...



I went through all the possible options but still the same. The computer is unable to proceed with the system reset.

Reusing the "Assist" button is also not possible - it does not respond!

Any ideas?

How is it with this system (license) placed on the device disk by the manufacturer. If I pulled out the disk, reformatted it and wanted to reboot the system, is there a chance to boot from this hidden partition with the system attached at the time of purchase, or I lose everything after the format? What then happens to the license?


best regards
KP

Moderated By RADU23:

I separated as a new topic.
Do not attach to other people's threads. This causes a mess in the forum.

bronxik wrote:

How is it with this system (license) placed on the device disk by the manufacturer. If I pulled out the disk, reformatted it and wanted to reboot the system, is there a chance to boot from this hidden partition with the system attached at the time of purchase, or I lose everything after the format? What then happens to the license?

The license in new laptops is placed in the BIOS (to put it simply), therefore there is no sticker with the key. There is a hidden partition on the hard disk from which the system can be restored to factory settings. Unfortunately, if the factory was windows 7/8 / 8.1 and it was updated to windows 10, then after the update, the factory recovery usually does not work. If the system is windows 10, it is best to download the installer here: https://www.microsoft.com/pl-pl/software-download/windows10
You can use it to create an installation USB flash drive or DVD.

If you have a different operating system, please write what.

Another thing is that the error you are having now may be the result of some corruption, such as disk damage. If important data is there and you want to check it first, write.

Hi,

Thanks for the answer.

Generally, the original Windows 8 was included, there is also a sticker on the laptop. It seems to me that he was working on it all the time, but I will ask if there was an update to 10.

Generally, there is no important data on the disk. If there is a way to check if it's all the drive's fault, I think it's worth finding out

best regards
KP

The error you posted looks like windows 10, but I'm not sure.
Try to go through the stages of starting the system 3 times in a row: error, finding solutions and attempting to repair, most likely after 2-3 unsuccessful attempts, windows will display additional options by itself, including just factory reset.

As for checking the disk: All you need to know is the SMART parameters which the disk itself monitors. You just need to use the appropriate program to show them. Unfortunately, the system does not work, so the program must be run from an external medium - USB / CD / DVD.
Sample CD burning program: http://hddguru.com/download/software/mhdd/mhdd32ver4.6iso.zip

Thanks for the advice and steps, I will start doing it tomorrow morning, I will have a USB keyboard so I can enter anything at the same time. I will write what and if I managed to do anything at all

From what I asked the girls, she only did updates to Windows 8.1 because she still got some reminders, but you know how with girls in these topics

Can you check what version of the system was installed?



Added after 17 [hours] 41 [minutes]:



So I got home and started on that unfortunate Vaio

I connected the Wi-Fi keyboard but unfortunately the system does not detect it and does not work

I also did as you said and even went through a repair a few times but the system keeps going back to the same point, ie reboots and shows the same blue screen again. From this point, I have the option to go to additional options as below:



I have gone through every option of restore, reset to initial state etc. and each selection ends with the message that the system could not fix the problem.

So I took the disk out to see if I would be able to check its contents at all. I can see only one partition with system files / folders (the system did not wake up after the last attempt to restore it to the initial state by using the "assist" button). The foled structure looks like below, there is also a folder with the upgrade to Win10, but I don't know how to check if it was installed (I confirmed with my girlfriend, she says that there was no 10 installed, that the system after starting showed the so-called "tiles", i.e. it did not fire up to view desktop - this indicates Windows 8 / 8.1). However, it probably was because in the screen below there is an option 'Continue' -> Go to Windows 10





I created a flash drive with a system image, I will try to fire it on this unfortunate computer and we'll see!

In addition, this is the disk structure of this Vaio (main partition and all hidden - not visible from Windows)




best regards
KP

Well, I can see you're on the right track.
I will come back to the topic of checking the disk, because if you can connect it to another computer, just run Crystal Disk Info there and it will show the SMART status.
You can check what the system was like by checking the version of the file X: \ windows \ explorer.exe (where X is the drive letter of your system).

masterten wrote:

Well, I can see you're on the right track.
I will come back to the topic of checking the disk, because if you can connect it to another computer, just run Crystal Disk Info there and it will show the SMART status.
You can check what the system was like by checking the version of the file X: \ windows \ explorer.exe (where X is the drive letter of your system).

I'm on the right track to what?

It seems to me that I am burying myself more and more and I don't think I can do anything with this computer anymore!

Please take a look at the following report that I got after scanning the disk, what does that tell us?

masterten wrote:

You can check what the system was like by checking the version of the file X: \ windows \ explorer.exe (where X is the drive letter of your system).

There is no such file in the given location

best regards
KP

The hard drive is functional.

bronxik wrote:

There is no such file in the given location

G: \ windows \ exploer.exe? Not to be confused with windows.old And what files do you have there?

Speaking of the right path, I meant the flash drive you made.

masterten wrote:

The hard drive is functional.

Well, that's what we already know

The files and folders that are in the Windows folder of this disk are like the screenshot below:



Yes, the flash drive is made but it does not start The computer keyboard does not work and when I connect an external one, it also does not catch it. As a result, I cannot boot from USB. Maybe how would I make a format that would help? If I reformat the C: \ drive, the remaining partitions will remain intact? Are they even needed for anything else?

As if I was able to run the installation of Windows 8 / 8.1, will the product key saved in the BIOS be normally loaded (read) or will it somehow be lost and expired?

The latest discovery: When I testly connected my disk that I use to store my files, the computer starts immediately from the 'Automatic Repair' and goes to the step where I choose the keyboard layout, I suppose that there would be further steps to install the system ?!



Could this be a breakthrough?


best regards
KP

You have "explorer" there - you can't see the file extensions, so you don't see it as "explorer.exe".

He sneezes a bit with the keyboard, but we'll figure something out. Formatting the disk itself will not help, because the system will try to boot anyway.
For the test, remove the disk and check if the installation from the flash drive starts correctly and the disk is selected. If so, only then can the disk be 'prepared'.
The remaining partitions would be needed if you wanted to factory reset - from this hidden 26GB partition.
If you do not want to save any data or the factory system, and the pendrive starts without a disk, you just need to remove all partitions from the disk, then the pendrive should start with the disk inserted.

The system reads the key from the BIOS during installation, the key cannot be removed and does not expire, the license is lifetime. That is, for the rest of the laptop's life
If the key is windows 8, you will only install windows 8 or 10. If the key is windows 8.1, you will only install windows 8.1 or 10.

As for the 'latest discovery', what drives do you have plugged in? Repair starts from the disk or from a pendrive?

Hi,

masterten wrote:

As for the 'latest discovery', what drives do you have plugged in? Repair starts from the disk or from a pendrive?

So let me start at the end in this case, I took out the original disk and put in its place the disk that I use as an external disk on a daily basis. Then the recovery started and at least something positive happened like this screen with the keyboard setup selection.

masterten wrote:

For the test, remove the disk and check if the installation from the flash drive starts correctly and the disk is selected. If so, only then can the disk be 'prepared'.

I did as you advised, I took out the disk and started the computer without a "tough guy" ... I must admit that it is probably fine. First, I managed to get into the BIOS where I set USB as a priority drive when starting the computer. After falling asleep the changes in the BIOS, I restarted the computer (the pendrive started) and here is what screen was displayed for me ...



What do you do next? (complete wiping the disk and putting the system up with PenDrive - Win8.1)

best regards
KP

So yes, I started cleaning the disk myself, deleted all partitions and created new ones from scratch. The installer has started and the system is set up. I threw Windows 8.1, the installer did not ask for a key, so I assume that the license is still valid and it was loaded from the machine.

Installed drivers, basic programs and applications as well

The first step is behind me, now I have to replace the keyboard.

If someone was looking for drivers for this model, I give the factory model, which makes it easier to find various technical information, as well as easier to find this model on the SONY website if you are looking for support at the source: VF1521P6E

Thank you for your help, if you have a moment, please take a look at the topic promoted by me regarding the replacement of the keyboard in this laptop, maybe you have some experiences that you would like to share.

best regards
KP