Copying files prior to factory reset

[Tristan_B]

In preparing to perform a factory reset on an old Sony Vaio I've been given (and which has multiple systemic problems), I have copied all files onto an external hard drive.

There are two large files in the Windows folder that the computer will not let me copy:  "Hiberfil" and "pagefile."  They are quite large files,  260 MB and 393 MB respectively.  The error message I get for both is,. "Cannot copy Hiberfil (or pagefle):  Access is denied.

Do I need these files for when I put everything back that should go back following reset procedure?

Thanks in advance,

Tristan

 

[sfbp]

SImple answer: No.

[Tristan_B]

On 7/25/2018 at 4:27 AM, sfbp said:

SImple answer: No.

Sorry, I'm back.

I had previously downloaded instructions and a YouTube video describing how to perform a factory reset.  I realized belatedly that everything I downloaded referred to Vaios that had Windows Vista and upwards.  The Vaio I have has Windows XP on it.  Before you tell me I shouldn't still be running XP, my intended use for this little machine is strictly for installing and trying out programs before deciding whether to install them on my desktop.  Uninstalled programs have a bad habit of leaving all sorts of detritus behind, and I thought this would be a good way of testing out a new program to make sure I like it before committing to it.

So the reason for this post is to find out if any kind soul here could tell me what the instructions would be for the model and operating system I have.  The model is a PCG441L, vintage 2002 I believe.  Downloaded something that said it was a Users Manual, but it turned out to be merely a "Notice to Users" so no real use there.  Repeatedly pressing F10 or F10 plus ALT does absolutely nothing.  Computer simply starts up normally.

Again, thank you to anyone willing to respond,

Tristan

Postscript:  The reason I have to resort to a factory reset is that System Restore cannot be accessed; and the search function does not work.  That and multiple other problems, like "indexer.exe" popping up every minute to say it has encountered and problem and needs to close.

 

[sfbp]

This is NOT repeat NOT the way to reinstall XP.

If you have the COA with a product key on it, you are good to go. Download or purchase a copy of XP from somewhere. Install it, enter product key. Problem solved.

If you don't, go to eBay and buy one.

By all means copy your files back from the external hard drive after you are done. But don't mess with Windows in the way you are trying to.

[Tristan_B]

18 hours ago, sfbp said:

This is NOT repeat NOT the way to reinstall XP.

If you have the COA with a product key on it, you are good to go. Download or purchase a copy of XP from somewhere. Install it, enter product key. Problem solved.

If you don't, go to eBay and buy one.

By all means copy your files back from the external hard drive after you are done. But don't mess with Windows in the way you are trying to.

Four years ago when I was given the Vaio, the person who gave it to me admitted she had lost the XP install disk it had come with.

That's why I called Sony four years ago:  to find out whether I could purchase this disk -- a weird little thing, smaller than a floppy.  They told me they no longer sold it.

I did search e-Bay for the appropriate disk, but came up empty.  I then called Sony a second time, asking for any work-around they could suggest.  It seems to me that if they were doing their job as they should have done, they should have offered to walk me through a factory re-set at the time.  But they did not.  When I called again recently, their only reply was the usual "We apologize for any inconvenience you are experiencing," and informed me they no longer provide support for systems running XP.

The machine is not worth the money it would cost me to purchase an external CD drive with which to reinstall XP.  That's why I was hoping someone here might have a long enough memory of how a factory reset would have been performed on a 2002 machine.

Bear in mind, all I wanted to do with this Vaio is to use to to test out new programs.  Otherwise I'll have no use for it and shall junk it.

 

 

[sfbp]

Interesting... are you saying this machine is a laptop with a minidisc installed? I suppose it's just about possible, if it dates from 2002. There are folks here, myself included who would be very interested in hearing how you got this to work. As minidisc afficionados, a PC with minidisc built in is still quite thought-provoking.

Or are we talking a cut-size CD, which can go in the vast majority of cd/dvd drives? The minidisc (well, its case) is not quite square.

[Tristan_B]

9 hours ago, sfbp said:

Interesting... are you saying this machine is a laptop with a minidisc installed? I suppose it's just about possible, if it dates from 2002. There are folks here, myself included who would be very interested in hearing how you got this to work. As minidisc afficionados, a PC with minidisc built in is still quite thought-provoking.

Or are we talking a cut-size CD, which can go in the vast majority of cd/dvd drives? The minidisc (well, its case) is not quite square.

I've been using a mini-disc system for copying music CDs for the past twenty years (borrow the CDs from the library; copy only the tracks I want).  The slot on this little Vaio is smaller than a mini-disc slot.  Opening is just two-and-a-half inches wide.  I'd just always assumed that that is where the reinstall medium went.

However in examining the machine yet again, I now see that there is another slot labeled "Memory Stick."  But it is again not the size of a regular thumb drive.  The slot to this aperture is exactly one inch wide.  Hopefully that will pique your interest....

Tristan

P.S.:  I googled "Memory Stick" and found a pic that is the likely candidate.  Also found a pic at Wiki that shows what Sony's proprietary memory format, the SD Memory Card looks like.            (Sorry, couldn't figure out how to delete one of the image files I uploaded.)  

 

[sfbp]

OK please post the model number and/or a link to the manual. I don't get any hits when I try to find the model number given in your post.

I don't really understand what you're saying about the items pictured. Are you saying this was Sony's precursor to SD? I think they called it something different as one or two devices I own take both kinds of stick.

[Tristan_B]

4 hours ago, sfbp said:

OK please post the model number and/or a link to the manual. I don't get any hits when I try to find the model number given in your post.

I don't really understand what you're saying about the items pictured. Are you saying this was Sony's precursor to SD? I think they called it something different as one or two devices I own take both kinds of stick.

The model number is  PCG-441L.  I did a thorough search for a Users Manual for this model and the only thing I was able to find is this:  https://fccid.io/AK8PCG441L/User-Manual/Users-Manual-183723.pdf.  But it's not actually a users manual.  It's simply a "Notice to Users."  Although the front page says VAIO® Computer -- Notes on Use --PCG-SRX77, PCG-SRX77P,  if you scroll down to middle of page three under "Owner’s Record," you will see PCG-441L listed.

The two pics I posted were what I guessed fit into the two slots I found.  The floppy disc-like slot I found which I took to the the slot for Sony's proprietary SD Memory Card, and the "Memory Stick" slot I found that was one inch wide and unlike any thumb drive I have ever encountered.

Tristan
 

[sfbp]

Sony has a "pro duo" memory stick which they "pro"moted as competition for SD (can't be right, it isn't proprietary and WE didn't invent it). There was a micro version even, and they ended up making sockets for that which were two-way: put in a microsd card one way, and micro pro duo the other way up.

I still don't grasp what disk you are talking about. Was this a machine whose only accessible peripheral was an SD card? What about USB? I guess even XP doesn't fit onto a 64MB memory stick, you need a CD.....

[Tristan_B]

No, no.  It DOES have one USB port, which I can use for either transferring files or to connect to a mouse.  And I do have a Windows XP disc.  I've just downloaded a program that will let me create an ISO file from a CD.  Put the IS0 onto my 500 GB external hard drive...  Could this be the work-around I've been looking for?

It's likely to take hours and hours (since it's probably a USB 2 port), but would it work?

[sfbp]

I don't know if it will let you install over USB. I don't think so unless you have a USB-CD. The ISO will do you no good at all unless the ROM BIOS can read that HDD. Most unlikely for that generation of machine. What you might do is to take the disk out of the Sony, and create a boot partition on it with the ISO. Then install the OS to a fresh partition after forcing the ROM BIOS to boot the partition you just made. You can always delete and/or merge the extra partition after the fact.

The key step is to connect that hard disk to some other PC.

Or you can spend $15 on a 1GB memory stick. Whether XP SP3 will boot from a USB stick is rather dubious.

I'm sorry we're not really here as a PC support forum. Our Sony knowledge has more to do with Sony specialities like Audio/Walkmen/minidisc.

Hmmm USB CD's are rather cheap now:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slim-External-USB-3-0-DVD-RW-CD-Writer-Drive-Burner-Reader-Player-For-Laptop-PC/183357085315

[Tristan_B]

Sfbp, that external CD drive you posted the link to was a little more pricey than it first appeared, (you have to click on the drop-down list to see the actual price) but the obvious solution will be for me to go in search of someone from whom I can borrow an external CD drive.  It's a good solution.  I just don't need to own that particular piece of hardware and it's not worth it to me to shell out $19 for it.

It's also been pointed out to me that the currently manufactured models may not be compatible with Windows XP.

But thanks for the suggestion.

Tristan

[sfbp]

Yeah that's a dirty trick they pulled.

This looks better:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slim-External-USB-2-0-DVD-RW-CD-Writer-Drive-Burner-Reader-Player-For-Laptop-New/323367858969

[Tristan_B]

Sorry I dropped out of sight there for a bit.  Was looking for someone who has an external CD drive I could borrow.  Luckily a nerdy friend was happy to oblige.

Thanks for all your helpful responses.

Tristan