Formatting my laptop

[saladin]

Before I can sell my old Sony Vaio, I want to format it and reinstall XP. The thing is, the recovery software is contained within a partition on the hard-disc. Anyone know how I access that partition to get to the XP installation software?

[Sideshow]

You should have a restore cd which will boot and use the hd partition to reset the computer. If not, maybe some boot option in the bios - I'd check the official website.

[Hex]

Well, you can always rip off a copy of XP from someone and then format the drive and install from there surely? Guess it depends if you want the laptop back to "factory settings" like how you bought it, or you just want a standard XP install on there

[saladin]

The thing is, this laptop didn't come with a restore CD. Sony decided it was better to put all the recovery stuff in that secured partition, like I said. I don't even have a manual...

[Muppet]

Don't sony laptop have all that guff installed by default? There should be a vaio program specifically for restoring.

[Sideshow]

Try pushing F10 on the BIOS boot screen.

[LastChanceHotel]

Sideshow's onto something, there's usually a boot option to run the restore partition. on my IBM laptop, there's a big blue "Access IBM" button which when pressed, opens a nice boot menu that lets you restore from the hidden partition.

Alternatively, google for your exact model of laptop and the words "recovery partition".

Hope this helps.

[saladin]

Don't sony laptop have all that guff installed by default? There should be a vaio program specifically for restoring.

Stuart wins the prize. There was a obscure little program hidden away in the Sony software install files on the C:\ drive that did everything for me.

Even better, it managed to format the hard-drive and restore factory settings within half-an-hour. Impressive.

Now to flog the bugger on eBay.