I cannot recover from the recovery
area
Recover your computer from the Recovery Media
if you have used software to modify the recovery
area, installed a different operating system from
the preinstalled one, or formatted the built-in
storage device without using the
VAIO Care Rescue.
I cannot create Recovery Media
Try the suggestions below:
1
Turn off your computer and turn it on
again. And then, try to create Recovery
Media again.
2
Download and install the latest updates
using VAIO Update.
Try other reliable discs.
I cannot complete the recovery
process
Disconnect any unnecessary external device
from your computer.
Try the suggestions below:
1
If you are trying to recover your computer
from the Recovery Media, check the media
for dirt or damage. If the media are not
clean, clean them and try recovering the
computer again.
2
Recover your computer from the recovery
area or the Recovery Media.
3
If the problem persists, visit the VAIO
Support Homepage web site for further
assistance.
My computer does not start
Make sure your computer is securely plugged
into a power source and turned on and the
power indicator light is lit.
Make sure the battery pack is installed
properly and charged.
Disconnect all connected USB devices (if any),
and then restart your computer.
Remove any extra memory modules you may
have installed since purchase, and then restart
your computer.
If your computer is plugged into a power strip
or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS),
make sure the power strip or UPS is plugged
into a power source and turned on.
Unplug the power cord or the AC adapter, and
remove the battery pack. Wait three to five
minutes. Reinstall the battery pack, plug the
power cord or the AC adapter, and then turn
on your computer.
Condensation may cause your computer to
malfunction. If this occurs, do not use the
computer for at least one hour.
Check that you are using the supplied Sony
power cord or AC adapter.
A message appears notifying of
either incompatibility or the
improper installation of the battery
pack and my computer then enters
Hibernate mode
See the answers for “The charge indicator light is
blinking fast and my computer does not start.”
Windows does not accept my
password and returns a message,
Enter Onetime Password
If you enter a wrong power-on password three
times consecutively, the
Enter Onetime Password message appears and
Windows will not start. Press and hold the power
button or slide and hold the power switch for
more than four seconds to check that the power
indicator light turns off. Wait for 10 to 15 seconds,
then restart your computer and enter the correct
password.
The password is case sensitive, so be sure to
check letters for the current case before you
enter the password.
I cannot remember the power-on
password
If you have forgotten the power-on password,
contact an authorized Sony service/support
center.
A reset fee will be charged.
The green power indicator light
turns on but my screen remains
blank
Press the Alt+F4 keys several times to close
the application window. An application error
may have occurred.
Press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys and click the
arrow next to the Shut down
button
and Restart.
Press and hold the power button or slide and
hold the power switch for more than four
seconds to shut down your computer.
Unplug the power cord or the AC adapter, and
leave the computer for about five minutes.
Then plug the power cord or the AC adapter,
and turn on the computer again.
Turning off your computer with the
Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys or the power switch
may cause loss of unsaved data.
If you are using an external display, make sure
it is plugged into a power source and turned
on.
The charge indicator light is
blinking fast and my computer
does not start
This problem could be due to the battery pack
not being installed properly. To solve this
problem, turn off your computer and remove
the battery pack. Then reinstall the battery
pack to the computer. For details, see the on-
screen User Guide.
If the problem persists, it means the installed
battery pack is not compatible.
Remove the battery pack and contact an
authorized Sony service/support center. To
find the nearest center or agent, see the on-
screen User Guide.
Backing up and
restoring your data
Common problems
To back up and restore
your data when you can
start Windows
If you can start Windows, back up and restore
your data with the Windows feature. To use the
features, click Start, Control Panel,
System and Security, and Backup and Restore.
To back up and restore
your data when you
cannot start Windows
When you cannot start Windows, back up your
data with the VAIO Care Rescue.
To restore files which have been backed up by
the VAIO Care Rescue, use the
VAIO Data Restore Tool.
Restoring your data
using a restore point
A restore point enables you to restore your
computer system files to the previous state when
the restore point was created. Usually, a restore
point is created automatically, for example when
you install a software driver, however, we
recommend that you create the restore point
manually on the Control Panel before installing
any software or software drivers on your
computer.
To restore system files using the
restore point when you cannot
start Windows
1
Follow the steps 1 to 3 in “To recover from
Recovery Media” of “Recovering your
computer” on the front side.
2
Press the
or
key to select Windows RE
and press the Enter key.
3
Select a keyboard layout and click Next.
If the appropriate keyboard layout is not
selected, you may not be able to enter the
password correctly.
4
Select your operating system and click Next.
Back up your files with the Rescue Data if you
have changed the files after you backed up
them using the Windows backup feature.
5
Click System Restore.
The System Restore window appears.
6
On the Recovery window, click
Open System Restore.
7
If the Choose a different restore point
option is displayed on the System Restore
window, select it and click Next.
If not, click Next.
8
Select a restore point and click Next.
9
Click Finish to confirm the restore point.
Restart your computer if the window prompts
you to restart the computer.
Troubleshooting
Recovery problems
If you have any problem operating your computer
Try these suggestions before contacting an authorized Sony service/support center or your local Sony
dealer directly.
Read the troubleshooting information in this section or the on-screen User Guide.
Launch the VAIO Care and perform necessary operations.
Visit the VAIO Support Homepage web site.
