I did a semi-restore using recovery discs with SZ

if you press F10 when turning on the unit it will restore the sistem if you still have the restore partition !

i have a SZ350BP

 

I reciently bought an SZ-340, US version, XP Home & have tried (unsuccessfully) to perform the semi-restore to get rid of all the bloatware.

Everything seemed to go fine until I tried to install fingerprint software, wireless switch utility and bluetooth using the application and driver recovery utility. I inserted disk 1 & got a Vaio Recovery message telling me that if I wanted to reinstall applications or drivers, click OK, which I did. I then selected Fingerprint Protector Suite & clicked next. The window then said Installing Fingerprint Prodector Suite, the another window popped up saying is was performing a system check, and finally another Error window appeared.

It said "The file C:?DOCUME~1\ALAN&S~1.HAL\LOCALS~1\Temp\MNDLL\Bitresults.txt could not be opened" (ALAN & SHARI are the users of this machine & my machine name is HAL.) Note that the disk never spun long enough to load software. I then clicked OK on the error & after a few seconds, I get a restart now box & the option to finish. The system then reboots with no changes.

I tried the same thing with wireless & bluetooth, & in those cases it asked be to install disk 2 before similar errors occured. In the latter two cases, the installing xxxx recovery window appeared & it just sits there...almost dead. I had to hit control/alt/delete, then end the Vaio Recovery application to see the underlying "performing system check" & same error message window as indicated earlier. Interestingly enough, when I did this, the screen resolution changed to something less than full resolution.

One additional thing I tried investigating for kicks...that is the registry entry that seems to impact drives & identified by this thread's creator, BlackG35:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion DevicePath

For my system with a newly COMPLETE restore, the entry was:

%SystemRoot%\inf + a whole bunch of stuff and of type REG_EXPAND_SZ. Based on BlackG35's comments, I didn't think it should have the added "whole bunch if stuff." Anyway, I proceeded whe the semi retore as outlined above. After the semi-restore, but before trying to add applications, I again looked at the registry entry...it was the long version & of the type REG_EXPAND_SZ. I tried deleting the "whole bunch of stuff" & it made no difference. I even tried running the posted script, it the shorted version returned to the long version.

Any suggestions of what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,

--Alan

 

Oh if youre using the dualboot option, be careful with that partitioner. I'm pretty sure there is a right way and a wrong way of making the partition. I dragged my partition size from left to right. So the new partition ended up on the left side. While now its gonna take 8 HOURS to partition. It took 8minutes to make it, and 7+hours to COPY the data from the left side over to the RIGHT side. AUGH. I think if I dragged it from right to left, it would've partitioned the open space and that would've been that.

 

OOPS! I figured out what happened, but I'm not sure why. When trying to make software installs from the recovery disc, the program was looking for a path though C:?DOCUME~1\ALAN&S~1.HAL.....etc. that wasn't complete. There was one for the same path without the .HAL after ALAN&S~1

How this happened, I'm not sure. To correct it I set up a new user with admin privledges & deleted the old one with wrong path. I then deleted the two unwanted document folders. It worked -- I was then able to install the software.

--Alan

 

Hey Black. That reg file you put on your post, Where do you put that file at? Forgive me I am not to familiar with registry files.

A detailed way to find that location would be great.

 

Black's registry file is linked at the end of the very first post on this thread.

--Alan

 

after you download it, just double click on it to merge it into your current registry.

windows should ask you if you are sure.

 

After I did semi-install for my SZ270, there are still some Sony applications left. I am going to uninstall. So could you advise me which ones I should keep to use for my SZ.

 

Do you know how to keep DVD recovery Discs for long time as I have deleted the hidden partition when I did semi-restore. Do u think it could be better if I copy those DVDs to the Hard Drive for backup???

 

IS there any benefit if I update the latest Intel chipset driver AFTER I did semi-restore for my SZ????If I did Clean Install, I would have install the latest chipset driver in the beginning.

 

im gonna try this tnx
is the same if i ve deleted the original partition and make the dvds , and then copy the dvds to the partition and restart with F10 to do a cleand reinstall?
the dvdrw doesnt read my dvd thats why i cant do it from there.

 

Just bot a SZ340 with Vista Business loaded. Will this semi-restore work with the Vista software and if so, are the steps to perform this semi-restore any different? If not, do you have a process to do the same thing with Vista?

 

If the recovery partition is removed in this semi-restore, can it be recovered by doing a full restore using recovery disks?

 

Yes.

You will be able to select this option when make another recovery.

Regards.

 

Hey all,
I have a SZ 44 noteboo which was shipped with Vista Biz but need to install XP PRO on it.Can some one help me with a lin to get the drives and application software to wor on XPP.

 

Thank for good article

 

I believe U can try drivers from any SZ3**.
You can download @ http://esupport.sony.com

Regards.

 

Hi,
I did a semi clean install on sz450 using this approach as soon as i bought my machine. IT is cool now without all the junk software. Thanks a lot.

 

Thank you, you're a life saver. Have a SZ460n/c. Wiped Vista Business and installed Xp. I've been having a hard time finding correct drivers for XP. Vista drivers don't work obviously.

Haven't tried it yet, but seeing how the specs are pretty much the same... I don't see why not.

Thanks again mcunha71!

 

I did this and works fine except the plug and play, I cannot Dl that reg file no more from the OP.

Can anyone tell me the code to put in? or have that file available please.

 

Can someone repost the link to the fix on the plug n play?!

Thanks in advance,

Danny

 

anyone please?

 

Try:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=44587

--Alan

 

Hello Everybody...

I think I read this thread quite comprehensively... but I didn't find any info about anybody using the recovery discs to do a clean install.... while creating multiple partitions at the same time...

Would I be able to create a C: & D: when I follow the *Restore Complete System* method and still have a clean Windows VISTA install?

My Laptop is the SZ450NC btw... My previous laptop was SONY Z1RA... and the recovery discs won't allow the creation of multiple partitions, my D: would be deleted and the whole drive formated when the recovery disc was used... I had to install a clean Windows XP and then download all the drivers from the SONY support side and install them 1 by 1... it was a pain in the a$$...

Thanks everybody..

 

a huge thank you to BlackG35 and everyone else on here.

i have a sz120pb which recently crashed. its still a mystery why it stopped working. i kept getting the continuous black screen prompting me to choose how to start up windows (safe mode, normal, etc.). my computer had been getting very hot and every now and then the screen would blink. and then the puter would just freeze. i would then force a restart and get back into windows. but then the puter would run slow. i had to remove the battery and run the computer using only the power cord. strange..anyone experience this????

well my puter had crashed about 2 months after i got it. sony had to replace my motherboard. i didnt learn my lesson - when i got it back, i never bothered to create the recovery discs. well big mistake

so, fast forward to 2 weeks ago...
i was able to retrieve all my files from my hard drive - my friend used a bootable cd / program called knoppix.

i assumed i could try to recover the laptop by simply reinstalling windows xp (i have a copy). i was able to get it up and running. i was able to download and install all the drivers from sony's website. but i wasnt happy with the result.

during this frustrating effort, i came across this awesome site! i finally decided to fork over the $30 and order the recovery discs. i thought i could easily just follow BlackG35's instructions to do a semi-restore.

of course with my luck, my dvd/cd drive was having issues (it's the crappy matsh*ta uj-842 drive!). i struggled to un/reinstall the drivers.

finally i was able to get the drive to read the recovery disc. and within an hour i was able to get everything restored!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i wish i came across ur site earlier. i wanted to say thanks!!!!

 

i am having problems with the plug and play. BlackG35's file is no longer available to download. Can someone please load this file and make it available, similar to what BlackG35 did?

Thanks.

 

I was able to manually change the entry in the registry file. My mat****a dvd drive suddenly disappeared and I was having problems getting windows to recognize it. it was a plug and play problem.

I search sony's support site and found an article that detailed the steps to access and modify the file.

Knowledge Article C425906
Article Title: How to remove the upper and lower filters from the registry to troubleshoot the optical drive missing from My Computer.
http://129.33.22.8/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/,/?St=488,E=0000000000830029502,K=8632,Sxi=1,KB=CISCV3,VARSET_OBJ=425906,VARSET_L2=R510814,t=case.tem


*** Make sure you make a backup of the regedit file ***
http://129.33.22.8/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEB...RSET_OBJ=425906,VARSET_L2=regs0260,t=case.tem


How to access the regedit file:

1. Click the Start button, and then click Run.
2. In the Run window, next to Open:, type: regedit
3. Press the Enter key.
4. In the Registry Editor window, in the left pane, double-click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder.
5. Once in here, go to Edit at top, then click Find. Type DevicePath. Blackg35's path isn't complete which is why i used the find feature.
6. In the Right-hand window, find Name = DevicePath. Right-click and select Modify. The value shoud be %SystemRoot%\Inf and of type REG_EXPAND_SZ.

 

im curious , i have very little time on my hands , how much time does the semi restore take , i got the recovery disks and all >) if i follow the directions black made..

time estimate?

 

anyone? : )

 

I can only select " Windows complete pc restore ( restore your entire computer from a backup" and it shows an error when i try it , i have recovery disks ... any ideas?

 

i really need help

 

I can't switch off the utilitity. Can you help?

switch utilities

 

Wow, the anguish in here is making me sad... hopefully this isn't too common.

 

Anyone ? I cant select " do a restore with a set of recovery disks" , that option isnt available , what can i do ?

 

Ok so i decided to try this out , when i was in the middle of recovery >( there was an error so the computer rebooted. now when it starts there comes an error " operating system not found " omg , so now the partitions are gone obviosly. I have recovery disks but how to i undo this? I cant recover anything cause there are no partitions. What options do i have? help me :/

system recovery options -> no operating systems found

 

when I clicked reseal and rebooted. and insert disc one and try to install fingerprint software, wireless switch utility and the bluetooth software. The error is coming nt installing wireless switch utility..........Please help me


switch utilities

 

???????????????????????'

 

put check or security identifier on the lower part before clicking RESEAL

 

I know this is a really old thread, but I desperately need the plug and play fix. The link is not working...

 

Here you go! You'll need to extract it with WinZIP or WinRAR first.