topic Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! in PCs & Accessories https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354563#M18458 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Thanks for that Rich. I've come to pretty much the same conclusion myself.</P><P></P><P>I have to say though I'm extremely disappointed with Sony over this. A HDD in a two year old machine shouldn't fail after only 2 years and it seems that I am by no means alone with this problem. I have emailed Sony support and although I was promised a 'phone call to discuss the matter I've had nothing now for several days. I'm certainly not going to be calling their premium rate 'help line'.</P><P></P><P>Quite shocked by this to be honest and I can't see myself buying another Vaio any time soon.</P></BODY></HTML> Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:37:54 GMT moomaloo 2012-08-31T08:37:54Z Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354558#M18453 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I would be grateful for any help I can get...</P><P></P><P>My Vaio PCG-71312M is just 2 years old. It's running Windows 7.</P><P></P><P>Without warning last night it refused to boot up (my teenage son had been using it but he swears he did nothing wrong. Hmmm...!) now all I get is the Vaio splash screen then blank then the dreaded 'Operating system not found' message.</P><P></P><P>I've tried forcing it to open in safe mode with F8 (and other F key combinations) but I can't get anything other than the error message. I don't know if there's a way to force open the BIOS settings but I'm guessing not...</P><P></P><P>I think the hard drive has suddenly died though I can't for the life of me think how. It has shown the slightest sign of trouble until now.</P><P></P><P>I have ordered an external casing for it so that I can examine it on my desktop machine but I suspect it's totally dead..?</P><P></P><P>So... I can buy a new HDD I suppose, but is that likely to work? Is there a way to reinstall Windows 7 on the machine without having to buy a whole new operating system? I still have the product key sticker on the base of the Vaio but it came with no discs. I also didn't make recovery discs. Oops...</P><P></P><P>I love my little Vaio and I certainly don't want to have to junk a two year old machine!</P><P></P><P>Any help would be great. I have studied the previous similar threads but I think my machine has gone past the stage where I can tinker with it as all I get is the splash screen then nothing. No options seem available to me...</P><P></P><P>Thanks.</P></BODY></HTML> Sun, 26 Aug 2012 14:46:16 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354558#M18453 moomaloo 2012-08-26T14:46:16Z Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354559#M18454 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Update... I've managed to get into the setup utility at last. It doesn't mean much to me but it does say Hard Disk Drive: None</P><P></P><P>Any clues?</P></BODY></HTML> Sun, 26 Aug 2012 14:57:06 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354559#M18454 moomaloo 2012-08-26T14:57:06Z Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354560#M18455 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Ok, I've reset the BIOS but that's as much as I can do. It hasn't changed anything. HDD is still not detected and pressing F10 at startup doesn't work.</P><P></P><P>It looks like a new hard disc is needed but I would still welcome advice as to how I can reinstall my operating system when I don't have the discs and don't have any sort of recovery disc?</P></BODY></HTML> Sun, 26 Aug 2012 15:27:49 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354560#M18455 moomaloo 2012-08-26T15:27:49Z Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354561#M18456 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Hi</P><P></P><P>I own a sony lap top and the same problem happened with mine but i cannot get past the error message did you resolve your problem|?</P></BODY></HTML> Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:29:59 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354561#M18456 flippin.fish 2012-08-30T20:29:59Z Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354562#M18457 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Hi moomaloo,</P><P></P><P>I think you have gone as far as you can with troubleshooting and a new hard drive would seem to be the way forward.</P><P></P><P>Regarding reinstalling the OS, if you didn't create the recovery media and you wish to retain all of the pre-installed Sony software you will have to purchase a set of recovery disks from Support.</P><P></P><P>Alternatively you could install a retail copy of Windows and then download and install the available drivers and utilities from the Support site - most software is not available for download.</P><P></P><P>Rich</P></BODY></HTML> Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:47:57 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354562#M18457 rich912 2012-08-30T20:47:57Z Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354563#M18458 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>Thanks for that Rich. I've come to pretty much the same conclusion myself.</P><P></P><P>I have to say though I'm extremely disappointed with Sony over this. A HDD in a two year old machine shouldn't fail after only 2 years and it seems that I am by no means alone with this problem. I have emailed Sony support and although I was promised a 'phone call to discuss the matter I've had nothing now for several days. I'm certainly not going to be calling their premium rate 'help line'.</P><P></P><P>Quite shocked by this to be honest and I can't see myself buying another Vaio any time soon.</P></BODY></HTML> Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:37:54 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354563#M18458 moomaloo 2012-08-31T08:37:54Z Re: Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads! https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354564#M18459 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><PRE __jive_macro_name="quote" class="jive_text_macro jive_macro_quote _jivemacro_uid_13473187074848883" jivemacro_uid="_13473187074848883"><P>moomaloo wrote:</P><P></P><P> I have emailed Sony support and although I was promised a 'phone call to discuss the matter I've had nothing now for several days. </P></PRE><P>Hi,</P><P>hopefully someone from Sony support has been in contact with you now, if not please let us know..:smileyhappy:</P></BODY></HTML> Mon, 10 Sep 2012 23:12:19 GMT https://community.sony.pl/t5/pcs-accessories/operating-system-not-found-cant-get-an-answer-from-the-previous/m-p/354564#M18459 Thalamus. 2012-09-10T23:12:19Z