Factory reset without recovery partition

[mikaelkarl]

I have formatted the complete HD. Is it possible to buy a CD/DVD with the same software package as I had in the recovery partition?

If not, how shall I do to install from a Windows XP Professional DVD?

[Blencogo]

What model Vaio do you have?

You should be able to purchase a set of Recovery Discs from Vaio Support.

To install XP, I need to know if you have an ATA100 or a SATA Drive.

[mikaelkarl]

It's a VGN-FZ29VN and it has an ATA drive. When I try to install Win XP I get an error message saying that the HD can't be found even though I have a primary partition C:.

[Blencogo · Accepted solution]

You have a SATA drive and that is causing your problem.

XP does not generically support SATA so you have to install the SATA driver during the XP install by pressing F6 and installing the SATA driver from a floppy disc drive: -

http://www.alexnolan.net/articles/installxpsata.htm

Alternatively you can slipstream the install by creating an installation disc using nLite: -

http://www.nliteos.com/guide/

[mikaelkarl]

As I wrote, I have a serial ATA drive, not a SATA.

[Blencogo]

SATA stands for Serial ATA - the two are exactly the same.

Look at the specifications for your model here: -

http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/specifications/index.aspx?m=VGN-FZ29VN&l=en_GB

:smileygrin: