Vaio laptop HDD problem

[Terryx]

Hi

I have a Sony Vaio laptop (Model PCG – 61813M) running Windows 7 Home that I am trying to repair for my young granddaughter. It was going so slow accessing programmes that it became impossible for her to use. For example, she would click on a programme and it could take 10 minutes or more before it finally ran (that’s if it did run). I tried all sorts of things to fix it but nothing worked. Too much too explain here.

After saving everything that was important (I used a Hiren’s CD to access the HDD) I decided to use Vaio recover. It took a long time but it went ok. On one of the re-boots though, it did start check disk and found some entry errors. There were no reports of bad sectors. Eventually, it did boot into Windows OK.

I then did all sorts of things like installing Chrome and an anti-virus programme etc. It all went ok. No problem. Ran quite good actually. Then I started to copy back all the important stuff I had saved. That was OK to start with but after a short while it said, on a black screen, “Cannot find Operating System”.

Since then I have not been able to access the HDD. When I press the power button I get a screen saying “Start Windows normally” or “Launch Start up repair”. If I opt for the former I get the “Starting Windows” splash screen with the Windows logo but it eventually returns to the options screen. If I opt for “repair” it goes into the all blue Vaio Rescue screen but goes no further. If I use the “Assist” button it says ‘Starting Windows” (with the animated Windows logo) but then says on the next screen “Please wait while Vaio Care Rescue is starting” but it goes no further (no matter how long I wait).

I have tried the Hiren’s CD again (which worked perfectly previously) but now it cannot find the HDD. I have also tried using a Windows XP boot up disk (which certainly works OK) but it too fails to find the HDD. I get quite a lot of coded info etc (too much to type here), including an error 2200 code. 

I assume from the above that the HDD is physically working ok, but that there are problems with the Boot Up sectors (or something like that).

BTW, I removed the HDD. BIOS reported no HDD. Put it back in again. The BIOS recognised it correctly.

Can anyone give me any advice – or is it something that is beyond repair? Any help appreciated. Thank you. Sorry it took so long to explain.

[NGY]

3 hours ago, Terryx said:

BTW, I removed the HDD. BIOS reported no HDD. Put it back in again. The BIOS recognised it correctly.

That's good news. On the Hireens Boot CDs there used to be different hdd test apps, you may want to do some basic health checks before moving forward.

3 hours ago, Terryx said:

After saving everything that was important (I used a Hiren’s CD to access the HDD)

Have you saved the MBR too? Maybe the VAIO recovery partition? If you did, you can restore the HDD to its "blank" state and run the recovery again. If you did not, still you can go through the old school way (partion, format, install windows, install device drivers, install programs, etc.). It will work but it will certainly not be the same as the factory preinstalled sw environment.

[Terryx]

Thank you NGY but I did not save the MBR or the Vaio partition. Yes I know I can restore the HDD to its original blank state but obviously that destroys everything on it. It would mean I would need another operating system (Win 7 at the least).  I was just hoping there was a way back whereby I could save it as it should be. Thanks again. Your help is appreciated.

[NGY]

4 hours ago, Terryx said:

I was just hoping there was a way back whereby I could save it as it should be.

You may find some hints here - might or might not help.

[Terryx]

Hi NGY

If the MBR was corrupt, how would it boot into "Starting Windows" (which it does)?  That's one of the things that I do not understand.  I have tried a couple of the programmes in Hiren's Cd, this morning, also from an ISO, and each time it says "Drive not ready". Does that provide any clues?

[Terryx]

The other thing I meant to say was: How about the message "start Windows  normally" or "launch repair"? Does that not come off the HDD? That's why I have concluded that the HDD is at least working. Confusing - at least it is to me.

[Terryx]

Sony Vaio laptop (Model PCG – 61813M). 4GB RAM. Toshiba HDD. Windows 7.

This is my last attempt to repair this laptop. I have spent too much time on it already. If I cannot get it right in the next day or so, then unfortunately it is going in the bin. I will explain the problem. Any help will really be appreciated. I did post previously but this now is my up-to-date situation.

The laptop was booting into the screen where it says “start Windows normally” or “Launch start up repair”. It would load up the “Rescue care” files but go no further. Now, after trying certain things, it bypasses that original screen and just does the latter. It seems as though when “Rescue Care” gets to the point of writing files to the HDD it freezes (at least that to me is what appears to happen). Both the Power button and Assist do exactly the same things. They load up the files and then freezes.

Exactly the same happens when I run a Win 7 boot up disk. It loads all the files and then when I should get the options screen it freezes. I have tried an XP set up disk. It goes through all the correct procedure but when it gets to writing the files to the HDD, I get a blue screen of death. Other boot up disks I have tried do not recognise the drive as being there.

Yet when I run Linux from a DVD, it not only recognises the HDD but also lets me write to it. I can also run programmes from it, and play the videos that are on it. So in that respect, the HDD is working OK. Any thoughts on that one?

I did think that formatting the C: drive might cause the problem to disappear, thus letting Rescue Care write to the drive (I assume Rescue care is on a hidden partition), but I am not sure on that one. As far as I can see, the only way I can do that would be through Linux but I have never used it before.

Can anyone offer any suggestions please? As I said, I cannot spend much more time on it. I don’t want to give up but I have run out of ideas. Thank you for any response.

I should add. On some boot up disks I have used (when I have tried to run the diagnostic programmes on it), it says "Drive not ready". Does that give any clues?

Edited July 30, 2020 by Terryx

[NGY]

Is this the same story as here?

If it is, I would prefer keeping all related posts and all relevant information in one and only one topic. Can you please come back to that original topic?

[NGY]

You wrote BIOS recognised the HDD. This gives two pieces of information:

1) you attempted to use this machine in BIOS mode. Question: is it possible to change it to UEFI mode? Question 2: If it is, after changing to UEFI, will it detect the HDD just as well (some hints here)?

2) your hdd is alive (most probably). Question: how was it originally partitioned, MBR or GPT? Question 2: Do you have a capable partition utility, that can give a reliable information about your hdd (like BootIT NG, BootICE, or similar)?

For ms windows environments the hdd must have a partitioning scheme that matches the used hw-to-sw interface system, i.e., BIOS-MBR or UEFI-GPT.

More questions:

- is your ultimate goal to restore your VAIO to its factory original state? Or are you OK with a fully working VAIO with MS W7 on it? Regarding the factory installed copy of the W7: I trust the device has the key (COA sticker) somewhere on the machine. This should allow reinstalling W7 by other means - see more here, or here.

- have you tried to perform some low level tests on this hdd, to get an idea whether or not it is in fully good shape? See for example Hard Disk Sentinel, it can read the S.M.A.R.T. information off the hdd.

- do you have a way to lift this hdd from the VAIO, and connect it to another PC? (I.e., using an USB-to SATA dongle, or simply connected internally in a desktop PC.) You can run then the standard W diagnostics and see how the hdd is. Also, you can back up data from the HDD, if that is a requirement.

[Terryx]

Thank you again both for your suggestions.

In answer to your questions NGY,  There is no UEFI mode available. No S.M.A.R.T. Don’t know if it is MBR or GPT. Cannot connect it to another PC. I have the COA sticker.

I did reset the BIOS by unplugging CMOS battery (hoping that may cure something).  It returned to original date. I reset the time and date. No problem. It saved it so BIOS Ok. Booted without HDD. BIOS reported correctly. Re-seated HDD. BIOS reported correctly.

Following this, and after trying everything I knew,  I took what I considered to be my only option. I will share it here as it may be of help to someone who has the same or similar problem.

With the exception of the partition containing Vaio Care Rescue, I deleted all the partitions on the HDD . I then re-partitioned all available space, reformatted, and then booted using the 'ASSIST' button. It then returned the computer to the factory settings. This procedure of course, with the exception of Vaio Care Rescue, will delete everything on the HDD, so if possible, backup what you want to save before beginning.

Thank you again for all of your suggestions.  They were very much appreciated.

[NGY]

Glad to see your success, and posting your solution that finally worked is appreciated. Some people really just don't bother coming back and saying they ever succeeded, and if they did, how.

(For future reference: "S.M.A.R.T". - is an embedded diagnostics, part of the HDD firmware. Dozens of variables are constantly monitored and stored, to give information on the drive's health, and to "predict" if a hardware failure occuring is probable. Below are a few sample screenshots of HDS, a very useful tool of several others. Even the free version gives tons of information on this low level. See how a ~20 years old XP machine still works perfectly, after that many run hours :-) .)