Operating system not found - cant get an answer from the previous threads!

[moomaloo]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I would be grateful for any help I can get...

My Vaio PCG-71312M is just 2 years old. It's running Windows 7.

Without warning last night it refused to boot up (my teenage son had been using it but he swears he did nothing wrong. Hmmm...!) now all I get is the Vaio splash screen then blank then the dreaded 'Operating system not found' message.

I've tried forcing it to open in safe mode with F8 (and other F key combinations) but I can't get anything other than the error message. I don't know if there's a way to force open the BIOS settings but I'm guessing not...

I think the hard drive has suddenly died though I can't for the life of me think how. It has shown the slightest sign of trouble until now.

I have ordered an external casing for it so that I can examine it on my desktop machine but I suspect it's totally dead..?

So... I can buy a new HDD I suppose, but is that likely to work? Is there a way to reinstall Windows 7 on the machine without having to buy a whole new operating system? I still have the product key sticker on the base of the Vaio but it came with no discs. I also didn't make recovery discs. Oops...

I love my little Vaio and I certainly don't want to have to junk a two year old machine!

Any help would be great. I have studied the previous similar threads but I think my machine has gone past the stage where I can tinker with it as all I get is the splash screen then nothing. No options seem available to me...

Thanks.

[moomaloo]

Update... I've managed to get into the setup utility at last. It doesn't mean much to me but it does say Hard Disk Drive: None

Any clues?

[moomaloo]

Ok, I've reset the BIOS but that's as much as I can do. It hasn't changed anything. HDD is still not detected and pressing F10 at startup doesn't work.

It looks like a new hard disc is needed but I would still welcome advice as to how I can reinstall my operating system when I don't have the discs and don't have any sort of recovery disc?

[flippin.fish]

Hi

I own a sony lap top and the same problem happened with mine but i cannot get past the error message did you resolve your problem|?

[rich912]

Hi moomaloo,

I think you have gone as far as you can with troubleshooting and a new hard drive would seem to be the way forward.

Regarding reinstalling the OS, if you didn't create the recovery media and you wish to retain all of the pre-installed Sony software you will have to purchase a set of recovery disks from Support.

Alternatively you could install a retail copy of Windows and then download and install the available drivers and utilities from the Support site - most software is not available for download.

Rich

[moomaloo]

Thanks for that Rich. I've come to pretty much the same conclusion myself.

I have to say though I'm extremely disappointed with Sony over this. A HDD in a two year old machine shouldn't fail after only 2 years and it seems that I am by no means alone with this problem. I have emailed Sony support and although I was promised a 'phone call to discuss the matter I've had nothing now for several days. I'm certainly not going to be calling their premium rate 'help line'.

Quite shocked by this to be honest and I can't see myself buying another Vaio any time soon.

[Thalamus.]

moomaloo wrote:
 I have emailed Sony support and although I was promised a 'phone call to discuss the matter I've had nothing now for several days. 

Hi,

hopefully someone from Sony support has been in contact with you now, if not please let us know..:smileyhappy: