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    Damaged recovery partition? ntldr missing!

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by fmc159, May 13, 2008.

  1. fmc159

    fmc159 Notebook Guru

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    when i try to boot from the recovery partition (f10 at the vaio logo) i get an error saying 'ntldr missing, press ctrl+alt+del to restart' - can anyone help me fix this problem? i dont know the recovery partition has become damaged
     
    fmc159, May 13, 2008
    #1
  2. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    You answered your own question. So clean install is the only solution.
     
    coolguy, May 13, 2008
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  3. bubbatex

    bubbatex Notebook Deity

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    Did you make Recovery Disks when you got it? If so, you can get everything back to the factory install including your Recovery partition. If not, you can get everything you need on the Sony Support site to do a clean install (if you have a Vista disk) except for the apps like Roxio (which was the only one I kept), etc.

    Or you can order Recovery Disks from them (I believe).
     
    bubbatex, May 13, 2008
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  4. surfasb

    surfasb Titles Shmm-itles

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    You don't need a clean install. ntldr is a boot file. You can actually copy it off of a CD onto your computer. I recommend you insert any vista install disk and choose repair my installation.
     
    surfasb, May 13, 2008
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  5. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    I just love it when Dell owners think they know how to answer Sony specific questions. To fmc159, just ignore the advice from surfasb. If the F10 (system restore) option can't find ntldr, the recovery partiton is hosed and there is no way to repair it using a vista install disk.

    The only way to recover your system now is as other folks (Sony owners) in this thread have mentioned, use the recovery dvd's you made when you first got the machine. (You DID make them didn't you.) If you don't have them you can purchase a set from Sony.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, May 14, 2008
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  6. fmc159

    fmc159 Notebook Guru

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    hi, ok i managed to get a set of recovery dvds (not my own) from a guy with the same tz11xn (with model no. pcg-4L2M). but when i try to run the recoery utility when booting from the disk it says it cannot be used i should confirm model type! is there anyway to sort this? it is the right model definitely.
     
    fmc159, May 14, 2008
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  7. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    No it isn't! If the recovery DVD is complaining about the model, it is because it is comparing the info it finds in the BIOS to identify your machine and it is not the same as what the DVD is for. Check your BIOS and see what model it shows there. Do the same on your friends machine.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, May 14, 2008
    #7