topic Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted. in PCs & Accessories

HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 07:44:22 GMT

Guys,

I am unable to recover factory settings from the disks, receiving error 332.

From google I see its related to HDD and appears a common problem.

My IT guy replaced the HDD as it crashed and would like to know what I must do to get through this obstacle please.

Thanks.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

rich912 — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 08:23:36 GMT

Hi Iusedtolovesony,

Which model Vaio do you have? If it was manufactured prior to 2011 you may find that the original HDD had 512 bytes per sector and the new drive has 4K per sector (Advanced Format disk).

Attempting to restore from recovery disks created from a 512 byte sector disk to a 4K disk will not work as the recovery disks will not be AF aware and will produce this error code. I suggest you go back to your IT guy and explain this.

If my assumptions are correct, and you cannot exchange the HDD,your only other option is to install Windows from a retail copy and then install all drivers and utilities available from the support site. Note that the original software that came bundled with your computer is not available for download so you will lose this.

Rich

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 08:47:58 GMT

Many thanks for the reply.

The PC is a LV3sj all in one purchased 09 or 10.

It was Spanish in Vista Home.

Upgraded to Win 7.

Along the way the Sony programs were lost.

HDD was replaced as it crashed.

PC was working OK for ages and then No operating system found.

The IT guy reinstaklled Windows, but it crashed after a weeks use.

Tried to recover from my disks and the error came, so ordered new from Sony. Same error 332.

Triem myself to reinstall Widows from Disc-2 of the upgrade set and after many hours windows updates it was fine for a day..

Next day starting up it had to be restored to its last update and it worked. It is playing up with No op system (once) and a few quirky issues.

Sony called (surprised) to ask if disks arrived and to e-mail if there were any issues.

Of course the OEM ones did not work and I have written to Sony twice and no reply yet.

I would like to recover to factory settings which were Spanish and Vista, them get back all Sony utilities.

Then upgrade with Win-7 where I can select English for the operating system.

Sony utilities in Spanish I can suffer, but at least the PC is standard removing mistakes that may have been made by the IT work.

From what I have read, I am not confident the issue is the 512 and 4k one, but I would be pleased if it was.

Some sites differ with their opinions so hoping I can get the correct line of approach and pass that to the IT guy and solve once and for all.

Thanks.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

rich912 — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 12:25:40 GMT

Hi Iusedtolovesony

Assuming that you have not been able to install the OEM OS at all on the new drive I suggest you do find out from your IT department whether it is an Advanced Format drive.

Rich

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 18:07:48 GMT

I am requesting the HD values.
Maybe I took too much time explains details, so to clarify.
The recovery OEM disks gave error 332.
I did load the OEM Win-7 op system from Disk-2 of the upgrade set.
My problem remains I need to recover factory settings and get the PC to a known state that I can move forward with the upgrade to Win-7 and have all the utilities back again.
If I leave as is, I keep receiving a message the op system is counterfeit, it isn't, so the problem needs resolving.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

kee-lo_ — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:50:09 GMT

Someone asked this over at Tom's Hardware (forum post) and as Rich pointed out, this is done at manufacturing stages. Reformatting with 512k / sector will slow down your system.

Your best bet is to source an older HDD from places like eBuyer and avoid advanced formatting tehcniques. Or as Rich pointed out, buy a copy of Win7, which I suspect is cheaper and less hassle; and install that and use the drivers from the support site. You might not get all the software that the VAIO has in the first place, but believe me you don't need all of it and you can find good open source alternatives.

It just shows you Sony's CDs are a sector by sector copy.

Hope that does help, sorry if I am intervening Rich

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:17:04 GMT

Not at all my friend, this is what forums are for, tap into everyones experience.

This is the reply from Sony.

Thank you for contacting Sony.

We are sorry to read that the recovery DVDs are not working with your Sony VAIO.

We would like to inform you that the recovery DVDs will not be working with your Sony VAIO as you have replaced the hard drive due to copyrights issues.

We deem it necessary for your VAIO to visit our repair centre for diagnosis and repair. We hope we can provide you with assistance.

I hope you guys can help with a way round this.

As I keep stating, I have used the Win 7 disk to reinstall the op sytem, but not happy with the setup.

Is it possible to locate and buy a replacement disk and install on your own machine?

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

jan2011 — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 14:24:34 GMT

Hi there.

Summary about clusters and sectors.

- Sector’s size manufactured by HDD producer and it’s not possible change.

- Cluster’s size (one or more sectors) can be change by HDD formatting.

I think, as even Rich and kee-lo said, “Recovery Media” depends on sectors. If made with HDD with 512b/sector, on a HDD with 4kb/sector won’t work. Reformatting HDD with 512b/cluster is useless.

But this issue is only about Recovery Media.

A “clean” Windows installation not depends on sector size, and I don’t know what exactly happens with HDD cloning.

Anyway, there are too many users that have replaced theirs HDD without problems.

A Copyright issue?

I don’t know…

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

rich912 — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 17:21:59 GMT

No problem Lee-Lo:smileyhappy:

Iusedtolovesony,

I wish support would stop spouting this nonsense about copyright issues as it is complete drivel! The only issue here would seem to be that you have had a 4K Advanced Format drive fitted. It would seem that the Windows 7 upgrade disk is AF aware and therefore installs the OS without problem this is not the case with the recovery disks you created nor will it be with a set of replacement recovery disks from Sony.

If you can’t have a 512 byte disk fitted then the only alternatives I know of is what you have already done with the Win 7 upgrade disk or alternatively a retail copy of Windows, but this is not what you are trying to achieve.

Back to your IT guys I’m afraid!

Rich

EDIT: To check the size of sectors on the replacement drive click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information > Expand ‘Components’ > Expand ‘Storage’ > Disks > Bytes/Sector.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

kee-lo_ — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 19:45:33 GMT

[quote]I wish support would stop spouting this nonsense about copyright issues as it is complete drivel! The only issue here would seem to be that you have had a 4K Advanced Format drive fitted. It would seem that the Windows 7 upgrade disk is AF aware and therefore installs the OS without problem this is not the case with the recovery disks you created nor will it be with a set of replacement recovery disks from Sony.[/quote]

You're right Rich, but I think Sony are probably worried that you'll "share" the disks and install them on say, a DeLL machine and use that Windows. I don't see why you would - if you're a pirate you'd download the MS disk, not a Sony disk!

So to clarify, you are using a bought Windows 7 disk now?

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 03:58:13 GMT

As the PC eventually was in a state of not booting at all and black screen, I booted in safe mode and loaded disk-2 from the Sony supplied Win-7 upgrade set of two.

I really did appear I was successful, but get the message "Counterfeit software of Win" and it has come up with just black screen and "No operating system".

Reboot and it checked for fault, then suggested retore to earlier date. It worked OK.

I spoke to Sony and never thought to mention the HDD change and bought the recovery disks hoping to start from scratch.

I cannot see why I cannot buy a replacement and have it fitted, rather than send to a Sony repair outlet and be ripped off.

I do own it now, but still tied to their repairs???? dont seem right.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

kee-lo_ — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:27:45 GMT

No, you are right, it does seem rather stingy of them not to allow you to install a new HDD. The only way round it would be to buy Windows again 😞

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

rich912 — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:03:25 GMT

You can fit a replacement HDD and reinstall the original OS and software from the recovery media as long as the replacement drive has the same sector structure as the original.There have been many posts by members of this formum that will confirm this plus my own personal experience, having replaced more than one HDD on Vaio's.

I urge you to check the sector size of the replacement drive.

I stress again that copyright problems resulting from replacing the drive is nonsense. Yes Sony do protect the recovery media so that it cannot be used other tnan on the original Vaio model but the necessary imformation that governs this is held on the motherboard not the hard drive.

Rich

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

rich912 — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 21:01:40 GMT

In fact Sony state on the support site that you should create recovery media to restore your system in the case of hard disk drive failure.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 04:25:22 GMT

I appreciate all the help guys, thanks!

I did make recovery disks after purchasing. Dye to ignorance of the error 332, I thought it best to get Sony ones to remove doubt on my disks etc.

I have written to Sony in reply to theirs copied and pasted earlier to tell me where I can order the Sony replacement.

Lets see what they choose, helpful to life long customer or the expected? This may end my future interest in their products.

Asper my user name "IusedtolikeSony".

Thanks again Guys.

Re: HDD issue when recovery attempted.

Iusedtolovesony — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 14:51:31 GMT

Thought I would share the reply from Sony.
After many years of being a staunch Sony man, their arrogant attitude has finished me.
We acknowledge that you would like to purchase a hard disk drive for your VAIO. We are afraid that Sony policy restricts selling such space parts to end-user, dealers or third party repair shops.

The only way to obtain new hard disk drive is either by sending the VAIO to the Sony repair centre or getting it repaired by local authorised service partner. Please accept our sincere apologies if you found this disappointing.

So, you purchase your
PC, the warranty ends and despite you owning the item, they want to control how you repair it, to replace THEIR rubbish software. You couldn't make this up!