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Vista version problems

  • 08-03-2009 4:12pm
    #1
    Farls
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭


    Hi all quick question,

    I have a sony vaio laptop that I got vista business with, I decided to try it with xp pro I also got this with the laptop but didn't like it as much as vista so went to put vista back and low and behold I don't have a disk!!

    Whats my options here?

    Ring sony get another disk?
    'Borrow' somebody elses vista business disk and use my product key?
    Or is vista still on my hard drive somewhere that I can't see? Because I have 120gig hdd on the machine but can only see 107gig?


Comments

  • #2
    ethernet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭ethernet


    The Vaio range comes with a utility for making the restore DVDs (two required) for this very situation. The data should be on a hidden partition which, assuming you didn't remove it when putting on XP, should still be there. Not sure if this itself is bootable, however. Look for messages to press a certain key (like F12) when you boot the laptop as this may allow you to restore factory settings from here without having the DVDs.


  • #3
    Farls
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭Farls


    ethernet wrote: »
    The Vaio range comes with a utility for making the restore DVDs (two required) for this very situation. The data should be on a hidden partition which, assuming you didn't remove it when putting on XP, should still be there. Not sure if this itself is bootable, however. Look for messages to press a certain key (like F12) when you boot the laptop as this may allow you to restore factory settings from here without having the DVDs.

    Cheers, I thought there might of been something like this but wasn't sure. Turns out it was on F10 at boot-up. Doing a full factory settings recovery, hoepfully that means back to windows vista business!

    Thanks again mate


  • #4
    Farls
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭Farls


    Farls wrote: »
    Cheers, I thought there might of been something like this but wasn't sure. Turns out it was on F10 at boot-up. Doing a full factory settings recovery, hoepfully that means back to windows vista business!

    Thanks again mate

    I just read on the back of the recovery cd that I used last week that I wiped vista of my machine altogether!! Sickened is all I can say! Is there any handy way I could Vista Business back or will I have to buy another copy of it?


  • #5
    ethernet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭ethernet


    So did F10 work? If not, try and get access to another machine to download a trial of Vista from Microsoft's site (avoid those dodgy torrents at all costs). Burn as an ISO (don't just burn the file) to a DVD. Install it and, if prompted to choose the version of Vista to install, be sure to pick Business! Enter your own product key that should be on the label under your machine. This should get you back up and running.


  • #6
    Farls
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭Farls


    ethernet wrote: »
    So did F10 work? If not, try and get access to another machine to download a trial of Vista from Microsoft's site (avoid those dodgy torrents at all costs). Burn as an ISO (don't just burn the file) to a DVD. Install it and, if prompted to choose the version of Vista to install, be sure to pick Business! Enter your own product key that should be on the label under your machine. This should get you back up and running.

    Cheers mate, F10 worked but I had already written over the backup of vista.

    I'll try that downloading a trial now and using my product key.

    /edit

    Just spent a while searching microsoft there and can't find a trial version of business to download, so I guess my best option now is to try and get the cd of somebody? What do you think the chances are of microsoft sending out a new cd to me?


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  • #7
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,438 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Farls wrote:
    What do you think the chances are of microsoft sending out a new cd to me?
    None , part of the deal with OEM preinstalled windows is that microsoft wash their hands of any support of it. You could try SONY but don't get your hopes up.

    and you can't use media from a different brand like HP or Acer


  • #8
    Farls
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭Farls


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    None , part of the deal with OEM preinstalled windows is that microsoft wash their hands of any support of it. You could try SONY but don't get your hopes up.

    and you can't use media from a different brand like HP or Acer

    Cheers for clearing that up, looks like I'll be out the price of another vista licence!!


  • #9
    Kensington
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,683 ✭✭✭Kensington


    http://www.vaio-link.com/contacts/contacts.asp?site=voe_en_GB_cons&cc=en_IE

    See will Sony send you out a replacement Vista disc, although they may charge you for it. Do you know anyone with a standard (non-branded) Vista DVD even? It doens't have to even be Vista Business, any will do. Every Vista disc contains all versions of Vista, it is your licence key that determines what version of Vista should be installed onto your PC.


  • #10
    Farls
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭Farls


    Kensington wrote: »
    http://www.vaio-link.com/contacts/contacts.asp?site=voe_en_GB_cons&cc=en_IE

    See will Sony send you out a replacement Vista disc, although they may charge you for it. Do you know anyone with a standard (non-branded) Vista DVD even? It doens't have to even be Vista Business, any will do. Every Vista disc contains all versions of Vista, it is your licence key that determines what version of Vista should be installed onto your PC.

    Thanks for that, I rang vaio support in dublin there and they were going to send me the recovery disks for 35 euro then they realised the machine was purchased in thailand and said that sony hong kong would send them on. So I rang them and they can't ship outside of hong kong!! They in turn told me to just walk in to my local sony centre and ask them to reload vista?!!

    It makes sense to do that but I don't know if they will, I'll ring and see! Also unfortunately I don't know anyone else with a vaio, and me working in IT!!!


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