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    SONY FW490 can't boot from USB

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by MidtownHD, Aug 13, 2009.

  1. MidtownHD

    MidtownHD Notebook Consultant

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    I've been trying to boot from USB in my new Soy FW490 but nothing happens.

    Can anyone confirm that Sony VAIO laptops can't boot from USB ports?

    Does anyone know how to enable this option in BIOS?

    what function key should I press?
     
    MidtownHD, Aug 13, 2009
    #1
  2. panzer06

    panzer06 His Imperial Majesty

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    Boot what? DOS or some utility embedded on a USB stick? Or full Windows? Windows XP & Vista won't boot from USB.

    Or are you saying it doesn't even see the USB device and therefore never starts booting?

    Cheers,
     
    panzer06, Aug 13, 2009
    #2
  3. MidtownHD

    MidtownHD Notebook Consultant

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    I've tried loading Vista and 7 on an USB stick and the laptop doesn't boot from it...

    I see you have a FW290, what options do you have in the BIOS for boot order?
     
    MidtownHD, Aug 13, 2009
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  4. JasonSnake

    JasonSnake Notebook Consultant

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    USB sticks also need some kind of "master boot record" in a way so that way O/S's can boot from it. However, I don't think you can do that with a Windows OS (DOS, yes)
     
    JasonSnake, Sep 8, 2009
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  5. scan

    scan Notebook Enthusiast

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    i have booted linux from my fw490 on a usb
     
    scan, Sep 8, 2009
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  6. JasonSnake

    JasonSnake Notebook Consultant

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    can you re-arrange the boot order in the BIOS?
     
    JasonSnake, Sep 8, 2009
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  7. scan

    scan Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yes you can. There are three options. 1. hard drive 2. extrenal drive (usb) 3. disc/dvd

    Just press f2 when its booting up at the vaio screen i think its f2 or maybe another one
     
    scan, Sep 9, 2009
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  8. blackleg

    blackleg Newbie

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    i dont think you can boot windows from usb, if dos you have to format it and create a master-boot dos file on you usb, you can download the images of dos on the internet and mount it to get the file named 'odin' and put it a whole folder on your flash disk then format it

    reboot your system when the vaio logo showed up press 'esc', it should be take you to boot option menu, choose usb-flash then you will boot to dos from your usb

    cheers
     
    blackleg, Sep 10, 2009
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  9. Base

    Base Notebook Geek

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    Some time ago I tried to boot XP and also Vista from USB. It is not possible because Windows loads the USB-System parts too late and I read that it is the same with 7. With a beta of Vista it was possible to boot from usb but not with the final version. But also the beta required some kind of "hack".

    That was my last result at that time. If something changes just correct me.
     
    Base, Sep 10, 2009
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  10. MidtownHD

    MidtownHD Notebook Consultant

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    problem solved a long time ago, just made the usb drive with Win7 from after formatting it...
     
    MidtownHD, Sep 11, 2009
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  11. JasonSnake

    JasonSnake Notebook Consultant

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    That's cool so it absolutely works independently from an internal hard drive ?
     
    JasonSnake, Sep 11, 2009
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  12. Blue05R1

    Blue05R1 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am guessing he is not running 7 from a usb drive but wanted to use one to install Windows on the hard drive.
     
    Blue05R1, Sep 11, 2009
    #12