"Operating System Not Found"

Dionysus

This morning I turned on my laptop (Sony Vaio) and the most unusual sound came on. It started ticking like a loud fast-ticking clock. Then the Vaio screen appeared, the ticking stopped and the next screen appeared with the message "Operating System Not Found".

The laptop was working fine before I turned it off last night. The only new program I downloaded yesterday was from Canon for photography. Even that was restarted yesterday to complete the installation and the laptop was working fine.


Would anybody have any idea what this is caused by or how to solve it?

Oink

Ouch.
Your computer is not able to access it to find the proper files to start windows, hence the message regarding the operating system.
It can happen due to software problems, but the ticking noise does not sound like a software problem. Sounds like your hard drive packed it in.

biko

Aye, sounds like a HD issue or the BIOS.
http://www.internetfixes.com/question_of_the_week/IF01128.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321626

Dionysus

biko wrote: »

http://www.internetfixes.com/question_of_the_week/IF01128.htm
Those are the general causes of the problem but how do you get your pc up and running again.

1. The first line of defense is the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

2. Reboot your PC and, at the appropriate time, tap the Del key or whatever key your pc requires to enter the BIOS.

3. Check in the Standard CMOS Setup that your hard drive is listed.

4. Assuming your Hard Drive is listed then you can rule out the BIOS as being the problem.

5. If it isn't listed in the BIOS you will need to check your PC manual to see what settings you need to alter to auto-detect the hard drive. If this fails you may need to manually insert the hard drive settings.

Très Bizarre. I followed the above instructions from that link. I rebooted pressing 'Del' all the time. Up came a black screen (haven't a clue of that screen's proper name) and then I highlighted Windows Vista and pressed Enter. Everything is back working properly again (with no information lost), or at least it seems like that now.

Thanks so much to both of you. Any idea how to explain this seemingly very quick fix?

Gone Drinking

That ticking sound you heard is nearly certainly the hard drive, I'd back up everything you have if I were you. It might be an intermittent fault now, but its guaranteed to get worse and eventually die completely.

Dionysus

Gone Drinking wrote: »

That ticking sound you heard is nearly certainly the hard drive, I'd back up everything you have if I were you. It might be an intermittent fault now, but its guaranteed to get worse and eventually die completely.

Everything now backed up. Is there any pre-emptive action I can take to prevent it crashing permanently? Is this laptop essentially finished? (I'm supposed to be getting a new palmrest, which cost me €340, in the next few days so is it better to cancel it and put the money towards a new laptop?)

Oink

The hard drive is generally the first thing to go on the laptop. It does not warrant a computer replacement in itself.
Not sure how much it would cost to replace it, depending on the warranty or lack thereof.

EDIT: As to what you can do...
-Keep an up to date backup
-Have a plan for when it goes dead, check prices etc.
-Probably best to avoid shocks etc.
-Put some flowers on its grave when it goes.

leeroybrown

Yikes. €340 is a bloody expensive palm rest. :-O

Clicking and no operating system is 99% certain to be a failed/failing hard drive. A replacement hard drive can be sourced fairly cheaply online and easily fitted.

Dionysus

leeroybrown wrote: »

Yikes. €340 is a bloody expensive palm rest. :-O

Yeah, well Sony was charging €180 just to collect it. Re-read that! Because the problem was physical - ie the laptop's connection to the lead - I would not be reimbursed that €180. On top of that Sony would charge for the part and labour. So €340 was relatively cheap.

Diddy Kong

I take it your laptop is out of warranty then...best option would be to change it your self if they are trying to charge that amount!!

I know I had a dead hard drive in the missus Vaio and they sent DHL to pickup and return and had the laptop back in 3 days all free of change....still in warranty though!

Oink

Next question: how much for a compatible replacement hard drive? that's the next best thing.

Dionysus

Oink wrote: »

Next question: how much for a compatible replacement hard drive? that's the next best thing.

I got this when I searched for a part for this Sony Vaio VGN-FW21L. My current C Drive has 221GB, so I surmise this is my existing hard drive and therefore the 250GB drive ($58) in the above link would be the most appropriate replacement?

Is it as simple as buying that online and installing it myself?

MudSkipper

pretty much any 2.5" sata drive will work. Do you have the recovery media for the Vaio? Or can you create them (usually an option on the start menu) ?

Otherwise you'll need something like Acronis to create an image of the current HD on an external HD, replace the HD and restore the image to the new HD. Has the added bonus that all your programs, settings, files etc are also transferred.

Be aware though that the HD's in Sony Vaio's are often difficult to access, but it can be done :pac:

freestyla

Maybe you want to have one small USB drive always aside with Linux on it? Good to have it for such a problem investigation.. this way you can boot computer without internal hard drive for examinations.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/linux/create-a-bootable-ubuntu-usb-flash-drive-the-easy-way/

BostonB

Dionysus wrote: »

Yeah, well Sony was charging €180 just to collect it. Re-read that! Because the problem was physical - ie the laptop's connection to the lead - I would not be reimbursed that €180. On top of that Sony would charge for the part and labour. So €340 was relatively cheap.

Thats nuts

jpfahy

This is your opportunity to buy a Mac!!

Lab_Mouse

yeah the HDD never go on macs:rolleyes:

Dionysus

OK. Here's the latest. I spoke with the person who's going to fix the palmrest (for €340) and explained my situation to him and he said that if I bought a new hard drive independently he would "image"(??) it for me into the laptop for no extra cost, which I gather means he'll install it for me for no extra cost.

Anyway, now my question is: what is the best replacement hard drive that I could buy for this Sony Vaio VGN-FW21L?

Thanks.

leeroybrown

TBH at €340 + the hard drive cost you're probably spending over half the current new price of that laptop on repairing it. If it's not well in warranty I'd be cutting my losses and getting another one instead.

Dionysus

leeroybrown wrote: »

TBH at €340 + the hard drive cost you're probably spending over half the current new price of that laptop on repairing it. If it's not well in warranty I'd be cutting my losses and getting another one instead.

Believe me I'd do that in a heartbeat but for the minor matter that I paid him the €340 upfront before he ordered the part from Sony. It was a condition of ordering that part, although I was given a time period of 6-7 days for the part to arrive - and that was 23 days ago. I rang him today and he said he wouldn't be able to refund me €300 of the money (the initial €40 was the deposit) as it was now ordered. Since this OS broke down on me this morning I'm now trying to make the best of a bad lot and minimise any additional cost on top of that €340.

BostonB

Dionysus wrote: »

...(I'm supposed to be getting a new palmrest, which cost me €340,...

What exactly is this part and how is it broken?

Krusader

BostonB wrote: »

What exactly is this part and how is it broken?

the surround around the keyboard i'd guess

mach1982

Dionysus wrote: »

OK. Here's the latest. I spoke with the person who's going to fix the palmrest (for €340) and explained my situation to him and he said that if I bought a new hard drive independently he would "image"(??) it for me into the laptop for no extra cost, which I gather means he'll install it for me for no extra cost.

Anyway, now my question is: what is the best replacement hard drive that I could buy for this Sony Vaio VGN-FW21L?

Thanks.

Any 2.5 inch laptop Hard Drive will do If not sure how replace it bring in to PC world they should be able to copy or in tech speak image the drive . It would be an exacted copy of you current drive .

myrscossie

Theirs a 250gb here a 500gb here if you want something faster theirs a good SSD here

BostonB

Theres hybrid disks too, part regular disk, part SSD. Cost and performance is somewhere in the middle of both.

yomamasflavour

Who ordered the part / is fitting it for you?

I thought originally you had sent it back to Sony and that's why the price was so high, but it seems not to be the case?

Is it a repair shop or some local tech?
If so, for a broken hard drive and palm rest you are getting ripped off at a ridiculous level. (for e.g. 500GB WD hard-drive and a palmrest (new) on ebay ~ €60)

Dionysus

BostonB wrote: »

What exactly is this part and how is it broken?

yomamasflavour wrote: »

Who ordered the part / is fitting it for you?
[HTML][/HTML]
I thought originally you had sent it back to Sony and that's why the price was so high, but it seems not to be the case?

Is it a repair shop or some local tech?
If so, for a broken hard drive and palm rest you are getting ripped off at a ridiculous level. (for e.g. 500GB WD hard-drive and a palmrest (new) on ebay ~ €60)

Somebody tripped over the lead and loosened that part on the side of the laptop where the lead goes. I rang Sony and they said they would charge €180 *just to collect it*. They would not allow me to drop it into them. Needless to say I'll never buy a Sony again. Because the damage is physical it would not be covered by warranty (it was out of warranty anyway).

Aware of the Sony charge just for collection, I took the laptop to Computers Unlimited in Phibsboro and they said, to my surprise, that they would have to replace the entire palm rest (the flat cover all around the keyboard). They told me it would cost €340 in total (Sony palm rest and labour) and they needed the money upfront before they could order from Sony. That was the end of March. I was given a 7-10 day waiting time. They're now expecting to have the part in early May and to be able to fix it then.

BostonB

I think it were me I'd be looking on the web for the same laptop, people are often breaking them for parts, if the motherboard goes, or the screen etc. Or sell your machine for parts and buy another one.

yomamasflavour

So there's no actual damage (big cracks / crushed etc.)

Is is just that the DC in port (where you plug in the charger) has become loose / detached?
So that it doesn't charge when you plug it in.

Or was it more serious?