windows did not start successfully

[marius_ape]

heeelp!!!Hi guys.I have an vgn fs215b.was working fine then everything froze and wouldn`t take any commands.My daughter tourned off(had a dvd in it)and when I turned on again all I got was a message that the windows did not start successfully with 5 options:start again in safe mode,safe mode with Networking,safe mode with command prompt,last known good configuration or start windows normally.Tryed them all and nothing happened.Please advise of the best option.Thanks a lot

[Blencogo]

Hi marius_ape and welcome.

When you say you tried them all but nothing happened, I assume the Vaio did re-boot itself (turned itself off and restarted) and came back to the same screen?

You would normally use the up/down arrow keys to try "Last Known Good Configuration" and press enter.

I would have expected you to get an error message of some sort if it failed to boot into Windows. Did you get a Blue Screen with an error message on it?

[marius_ape]

first thank you for the quick response.Every time I tried any of the options on the screen the computer did reboot but after the quick appearence of the vaio and windows xp logo ,the screen would go back like it was at the begining(black with the same message that windows did not start....).No blue screen or anything else.If I would live the last option selected (start windows normally) it would reboot itself every 30 seconds automatically but with the same results.Thanks

[Blencogo]

It does not sound too good!

If it won't boot into Safe Mode then there is a problem with either your hard drive or with your Windows installation software.

You really have only two options: -

1. Attempt to repair the Windows Installation. To do this you will need to borrow a XP Pro installation disc. You can boot from that disc and run a Repair Installation. Or you can run the Recovery Console and run checks on your Hard Disc and your Boot Records.

2. Recover your Vaio using your System Recovery Discs.

These will only work though if your Hard Drive in undamaged.

[marius_ape]

I managed to get a blue screen by pressing f8 and it looks like that: STOP:0x000000ED(0x82990868,0x000009C,0x00000000,0x00000000).I tried the backup dvd but after it get`s inside I can hear it spinning and after that nothing happens.Would be any other options for me apart of buying another laptop?Thanks

[Blencogo]

Yes the 0x000000ED error is an unmountable boot volume error

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297185

1. You can try to repair the MBR using a borrowed XP Pro Disc.

2. More likely, you will need to buy a new hard disc for about £50 - something like this: -

http://www.laptopshop.co.uk/hitachi-hts541680j9at00_hd2042-laptop_hard_drive-2-hd2.htm.

Also you may need to buy a set of Recovery Discs from Sony for about £30 if yours don't work.

Replacing the hard drive on your model is not too bad - have a look at the attached manual at the bottom of this post.

3. Or, as you say, buy a new laptop!

[marius_ape]

thanks again for the advice received and for the useful links as well.I guess I`ll have to buy a new hard drive.There is any way I can save any data from the hard drive?Or the programs that came preinstalled when I both the laptop?Thanks

[Blencogo]

All the preinstalled software should be on your Recovery Discs. These should put the Vaio back to the same condition as when new.

You can buy a caddy to put our old drive into which connects to any working computer by USB. This may allow you to search and retrieve data from the old drive. These are fairly cheap at about £8.50 - have a look at this review by PC Pro: -

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/92157/dynamode-usb-caddy-for-25-hard-drive.html?searchString=2+5+in+c...