Hi… I am having trouble with my VAIO TR2A…
The hard disk started sounding funny from 2 weeks ago. I just bought a new HDD to replace it. However, my problem is that when I tried to burn the recovery discs (8 of 8 + the start up CD), the windows restarted right after I finished burning the 8 recovery discs, leaving me with no start up CD.
In this case, can I still use them to be installed in the new HDD or I definitely need the start up cd? I realized that if I want to burn the start up cd, I have to burn all the other 8 discs again, which is stupid.
So in this case, can anybody help me?

This is urgent since I need the laptop to do my dissertation…

btw, THANKS so much in advance!

I have one but it follow by DVD so I dont know if it can be used with your CDs

The startup CD doesn’t care whether the recovery files are on CD’s or a DVD.

The computer is booted with the startup CD, which triggers autorun.ini, which triggers autorun.exe, loading up a mini-Windows environment.

A list of recovery options files is parsed.  The default file specifies how large the Operating System and Data partitions are to be.

Control is then passed to recovery.exe which processes the sony*.img file(s) on the recovery CD’s or DVD. There are information files on each CD (and several on the DVD) indicating what is present on the disc. If recovering from CD’s, after the first CD is processed, recovery.exe prompts for the next based on the absence of the next information file. If recovering from a DVD, the next information file is already present, so no prompt is made.

After the reovery is complete, a “runonce” script is set and the computer is rebooted. The first Windows boot processes the runonce script to process registration and the application recovery.

Jef

so basically a start up cd is needed, rite?

In that case, ngvuah, can I get a copy of your start up CD please? Thanks in advance.

Correct, as long as it’s a startup CD for the same model it’ll work regardless of whether or not the recovery media is on CD or DVD.

It has to be the correct model, though. Recovery.exe checks the encrypted BIOS string against the model identifier on the startup CD and won’t proceed if you have a CD for a different model.

Jef

Thanks Jef, for the information Really appreciate it.

That’s okay.

[quote author=“ngvuanh”]That’s okay.

ngvuanh, thanks so much for your kindness… however, i need the startup cd for exactly tr2a model.
As Jef said, it will check whether or not the start up cd is for the correct model. Once again, thanks so much for your kindness.

Correct, as long as it’s a startup CD for the same model it’ll work regardless of whether or not the recovery media is on CD or DVD.

It has to be the correct model, though. Recovery.exe checks the encrypted BIOS string against the model identifier on the startup CD and won’t proceed if you have a CD for a different model.

Jef

Jef, if it’s a startup CD from a TR2MP, would it also work in the TR2A model? Or will it not? Thanks in advance for the answer

Hi sherly -

It may work.  I cannot say for certain.

There is a file in the root directory of the startup CD that concerns me.  It’s HDVER.TXT.  On my PCG-V505EX this file contains 0330404.SND.

For the application recovery, Sony uses SONY*.PAC files to hold compressed images of the drivers and Sony proprietary applications (as well as a number of the 3rd-party stuff they ship with the computer).  When uncompressed, these SONY*.PAC files are full of folders that are named like the contents of HDVER.TXT.

When I look at HDVER.TXT on my 1st recovery CD, it contains a totally different folder, and I am assuming that this is the folder name of the Windows image in the SONY*.IMG files.

I am wondering if the HDVER.TXT on the startup CD is unimportant because there are no compressed SONY*.PAC and SONY*.IMG files on the CD .. only the I386 folder containing the mini-Windows environment and the SONY folder, containing the recovery option files and programs to actually start the recovery (and these are also reproduced on all of the recovery CDs).  There are a few other miscellaneous folders on the startup CD providing help screen information, etc., that are unimportant.

If my thinking is correct, you could probably use the startup CD from the TR2MP on a TR2A.  The only “gotchas” could be if the hard disks on the two computers are different sizes and if HDVER.TXT on the startup CD actually points to a folder in a compressed file containing something important to the build (like maybe driver files).

If you get an incomplete rebuild from the wrong startup CD (drivers are missing, for example), I have ways to access the complete contents of the driver and application installers from the SONY*.PAC files .. so ask if you get stuck.

On the whole, I’d say go ahead and give it a shot.

Jef

I should add here .. the actual checking for the BIOS I.D. string, etc., appears to be on every recovery CD/DVD.

I find nothing on the startup CD that has a BIOS I.D. string or build number (which are included on the 1st recovery CD/DVD).

Jef

The recovery funtion from Sony totally reminds me of Norton Ghost
recovery console.

Honestly… in my opinion Sony has just placed its own logo on that program.

However. Anyone tried to recover the images using a regular norton boot disc yet?

As I know with Windows update files from Sony, they check your BIOS string and return it into generated file named MODEL.TXT, overwrite if it’s exist in Windows folder.
I am not sure about recovery process but I think it would be similar.