Error 403 while trying to restore C Drive

When I try to restore C: partition by using Restore C: Drive option with my Sony Recovery DVD, I always get Error 403 message. The other option, Restore Complete System works fine but that will wipe out all partitions in the drive. The Restore C: Drive option only wipes out C: partition and leave the other partitions intact.

How do I get Restore C: Drive to work? I have FW190 CTO.

 

Just add SATA drivers after restore program searching installed windows

 

What is the size of the partition you are trying to restore to? And what size is the Sony Recovery DVD expecting that partition to be. Just a hunch, but I wonder if the partition sizes MUST be the same. At the very least I am certain the new partition must be as big as what the system recovery app is trying to create.

Do you get any text with that error 403?

Gary

 

Huh? This is not a Windows restore disk, the OP is using a Sony System Restore dvd. There is no need, nor opportunity, to install any sata drivers.

Gary

 

Thanks. I did that and loaded the driver for Intel ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller from a floppy drive. But I still got Error 403.

I thought that your tip would work since I did the same thing for Win XP installation and it worked perfectly.

 

What???? If you are using the Sony Recovery DVD, when do you even get an opportunity to load SATA Drivers? Besides that this is not necessary when using the Sony Recovery DVD, it has everything built in.

I am still curious about the questions I posted earlier.

Gary

 

There is an option to "load driver" if you boot from Recovery DVD. At least that's what it said with my FW190.

 

From a Sony recovery DVD or a Vista DVD? If a Sony DVD, then that is VERY odd. Most Sony Recovery DVD's are "self contained".

My questions still stand about the partition sizes involved and was there any text with the 403 error.

Gary

 

It's Sony Recovery DVD. I tried several partition sizes, none of them worked. I even tried to delete all partitions and let the program running. I doubt that you have to use exact partition size. If it does, that sucks because I intend to use it only for playing or testing new software. I don't feel like wasting 150GB in a 500GB drive just for playing.

 

Hi, I'm getting the Error 403 as well. Just wondering if you managed to solve the problem?

Thanks,
P.

 

I gave up! I just use Acronis to restore C drive. Much faster. Got up and running in less than 5 minutes, as supposed to 45 minutes from Sony Recovery DVD.

Sony tech support btw has no clue. He insisted that I only get one partition in the drive plus the hidden partition. I can not have any other partition. Well, the point of having Restore C Drive option is to preserve other partitions while restoring C partition. If I can't have any other partition that why the hell did Sony Make Restoring C Drive option. Typical tech support who knows nothing but reading from a script

 

i had the same problem: Error 403. i just wanted to restore c drive but its not working and gave and error number with no other message. i did a restore entire system, instead and it worked..

 

Any chance that your C: partition was SMALLER than it originally was when it came from the factory. The error might be attributable to that.

Gary

 

I think that the "Restore C drive" works only with factory installed C drive. If you have done a clean install and repartitioned your HD, then this won't work.

 

With one minor change in wording, I think you are right. It would work with any C: drive as long as the size of the C: partition is the same as it was on the factory installed drive.

That's why I asked if the C: partition was smaller now than when delivered.

Gary

 

Gary, I missed your post before.

 

I assumed that. I just wanted to chime in that someone COULD put a non factory drive in, use the recovery DVD set, to restore the whole drive and then latter use the C: only option. I was quibbling semantics, only because the wording of your answer implied that you had to have a factory installed drive, not a partition of the same size as the factory installed one.

I knew that is what you meant, but wanted to be sure the OP did.

Gary

 

Hi. I have this problem could someone help please. I have a sony VGN-FW11E. I just installed windows 7 professinal (clean install) and everything has installed ok. I also made a backup of my files on an external hard disk.

My problem is that i have lost all my sony viao applications/programs (i.e. viao media, roxio media creator etc etc) therefore i wanted to do a full system restore with my sony recovery discs which i created when i had Vista.

Whether i try doing a program restore or a C drive restore i get an Error 403 either way. So i tried booting from the recovery disc and i get a popup asking which OS i want to select - i only have one option which is the windows 7 anyway, so when i select it - i get an another error message.

Helppp.

 

The Error 403 comes from not answering the CONFUSING recovery program questions properly!!!

Sony has a VERY CONFUSING SCREEN at the next to last step in their Vaio recovery program. You must answer SKIP to this screen if you are recovering to a NEW (UNFORMATTED) HARD DRIVE or the recovery program will give you the 403 error.

The program is perfectly able to format new hard drives and it does this well if you say SKIP on the last step. The recovery program will even allow you to create other partitons on a partitioned drive of a different size from the original. It is a very nice program except for the confusing last screen.

You must leave the SKIP selected on this last screen where the program asks (again, maybe for the third time) if you wish to do hardware checking or recover the C: drive (ONLY). The program does NOT use word ONLY and of course you want to recover the C: drive. BUT if you select the recover C: Drive button, the program looks for a C: partition and not finding in on a new drive gives this ridiculous cryptic Error 403 message.

SUMMARY: For a New Hard Disk Recovery with the Sony Recovery DVD's, do a complete restore, and leave the SKIP button selected on the last screen when asked if you want to recover the C: Drive.

 

Sony techs have no idea what error 403 is...

 

That's not surprising

 

Regarding post #19, Robert Thambly He had the solution folks! Very grateful for this. Incidentally, in the Sony Vaio I'm working on, the "skip" option is checked by default. I agree very confusing.

I was installing on a new, clean hard disk using the user-burned recovery set.