topic Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc in PCs & Accessories

Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 09:50:35 GMT

I need to reinstall widows 7 64bit for VPCSA3M9E. I have everything except the disc but cannot find a place to download it.

What are my options?

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 16:04:49 GMT

Hi JaneBlonde and welcome to the forum,

The recovery media is not available for free download, you need to purchase it - cost €35.00

http://eu.eetgroup.com/Guide/m/Sony-VAIO-VPC-models-VPCSA3M9E-XI?sortBy=Stock&asc=True&filter=recovery

Assuming that you have the original hard disk installed and the recovery partition is intact, have you tried pressing F10 at boot (when you see the Vaio logo to enter the HDD Recovery Utility?

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 17:12:00 GMT

Thanks Rich.

A 32bit windows 7 has been installed over the original sony windows 64 bit sony. I don't see a partition disc at all. I do see an old.windows folder.

Would that be ok? Really I need to go back to factory defaults.

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 17:22:53 GMT

Hi JaneBlonde,

It doesn't matter which operating system has been installed, the Recovery Media will recover to factory defaults. Note that all personal data and third party software will be lost, so make a backup if needed. I assume that the hard drive has not been changed as there are possible complications if it has.

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 17:39:53 GMT

I've tried to buy Sony Recovery Pack 7PE64 UK EUAE590AG but my country Ireland is not listed there, is it a download or a disc? D

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 18:21:00 GMT

Hi JaneBlond,

As far as I know it is a physical disk. I notice that a lot of European countries are missing, including the UK.

I suggest that you use the 'County' entry for 'Ireland' as Country doesn't seem to be a required field or contact them for guidance.

https://eu.eetgroup.com/info/contact

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 19:09:23 GMT

Ordered, I'll let you know how I get on.

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 19:31:52 GMT

Good luck. Yes please let us know how you get on as I sure the question of missing countries will crop up again

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 15:11:42 GMT

I didn't get on well, since last posting I ordered and received the recovery pack, but it does nothing to install Windows again, all it really did was display errors from techie stuff to messages like this is not compatible etc. eventually the only option that worked was delete data.

So I guess I now have a shell of a vaio and still need a windows 7 disc to get it back working.

There are 12 discs with the recovery package, only the first seems to do anything and there's no instructions.

Have I missed something?

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 16:55:22 GMT

Anyone there?

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:16:47 GMT

Hi JaneBlonde,

Are you booting the notebook with disk 1 in the drive? The recovery disks do not work if you first boot the OS.

If this fails to work then, assuming the HDD has not been changed, I can only think that a hardware fault is preventing recovery.

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:48:29 GMT

Hi Rich,

I'm pretty sure it's not a hardware issue, the machine was fine before I
started messing around with it and I've now managed to install Windows 8.1
as I had a disc for that.

I would have much preferred to install Windows 7 but couldn’t get the disc
and it was not on the 12 discs I bought.

I thought that the recovery discs would have reinstalled windows but I
don't think that's an option for them.

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 19:26:14 GMT

Hi JaneBlonde,

You still haven't answered the question of whether the HDD is original or replaced. I re-emphasise that if it has been changed for an Advanced Format drive the recovery disks will not work.

As Windows 8.1 installs then the chances are that a retail copy of Windows 7 will also install and all drivers and utilities are available on the Support site.

Windows 7 OS will be on the recovery disks but not as a separate entity - just part of the recovery to factory settings.

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 14:28:53 GMT

Sorry, it's an original hard drive, it opens with the viao logo and viao bios logo. Nothing has been replaced on the machine at all.

At this stage I think I'll stick with win8.1 as I've updated the drivers based on this.

Do you think it's possible to get a refund for the recovery discs?

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 18:55:30 GMT

Hi JaneBlonde,

As you say that this is the original HDD and if you have had this from new the recovery media should work. I don't know what the problem is but I suggest you contact the supplier, explain that they don't work, and ask for your money back.

If you have not had the machine since new it may be worth running a quick check. Run Command Prompt as Administrator and use the following command:

C:\Windows\system32>fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo c:

If it is the original drive then both bytes per sector and bytes per physical sector should be 512.

Incidentally this is not the first report on this forum that the disks supplied by EET Europarts do not work but unfortunately as Sony have now contracted the supply out I believe they are the only source. You could always make a complaint to Sony Europe but I doubt that you would get very far....

Rich

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

JaneBlonde — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:35:13 GMT

Thanks Rich, I think I'm happy with the windows 8.1 install so will cut my
losses and drop it. Although it didn't work out, I appreciate your help.
May the road rise to you also.

Re: Need to reinstall windows 7 but don't have disc

rich912 — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 15:31:38 GMT

You're welcome JaneBlonde:smileyhappy: