Recovery partition is not present on the system

[pvaio_2009]

Hi,

My vaio had been infected a few month ago, couldn't find a way to remove the malicious, so I have formatted my main drive. The model is VPCCW2RGX/B. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the recovery disks too, so I tried clean install, and after installing all the drivers and having some trouble with finding the right VAIO recovery update to activate the recovery functionality, I got the following message.

"The Create Recovery Media feature requires a recovery partition to function. However, the recovery partition is not present on your system. To use this feature, reinstall the factory image and include the recovery partition."

I really need to create the recovery disks, anticipated some problems in the future which need recovery disks. Any recommendation for my problem would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Payam

[rich912 · Accepted solution]

Hi Payam,

One option is to contact support and purchase a set of recovery media (cost approx. £50 for an EU model). Recovering your Vaio using these disks will reinstate the recovery partition. As this appears to be a USA/Canadian model you will need to contact support in the relevant country to order the recovery media. Bear in mind that using Recovery Media either purchased from Sony or created by yourself will return the computer to as delivered – i.e. all personal date will be lost unless you have made a separate backup.

Another option is to create an image of the system using a utility such as Acronis True Image and restore from this if and when necessary – this will return the computer to the state of when the image was created including all personal date.

If your operating system is Windows 7 then the Windows Backup Utility will create a system image on first use.

You will of course need an external drive with a good size free on which to create the image with both Acronis True Image and Windows Backup.

Rich

[pvaio_2009]

Thank you Rich,

I am looking for the system as it was delivered, but I cannot contact support in the relavant country right now. Yeah, my operating system is Windows 7 x64. I tried several ways to make the VAIO Care Recovery recognizes my recovery partition, but it didn't work. Besides, I used the Diskpart to make it visible then go to the backup and restore to create an image backup in the recovery partition. However, there weren't enough space in the recovery partition. Now, I am pretty convinced to create an image backup from my clean install using the Windows Backup Utility as you said. Fortunately, I already anticipated free space for doing this, and bought 6 DVDs and one external hard disk. 

Thank you again for the advice,

Payam

[Fender67]

Have ever heard about malware surviving reformatting?? (ZeroAccess, Pihar etc...).

Probably not.

Make sure that your pc is not infected by visiting one of the free malware removal sites where an expert will check your system and then install your OS.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com
http://forums.whatthetech.com/
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/
http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/

If you do not intend to do this, then good luck...

[pvaio_2009]

Nope, I didn't heard that, but it is too late. I am not a computer expert, but I think the issue sounded a little bit complicated. I tried several sites which instruct you to run several malware killer and etc. softwares, then take the log files and checking whether a computer is infected or not. It didn't work for me. My RAM usage was increasing. First, I had thought that it is due to the memory leak, but then I found the issue is a malware which was increasing my RAM usage severely, approximately something between 2.2 to 2.5 GB. My total RAM is 4 GB, and it caused lags and several crashs. I cannot remember its name exactly, something like torojan ADL virus maybe. What I found was it sticks to one of the svchost files and increasing the RAM usage in this way. Finally, I gave up one finding the solution, saved all my data and format my drives.

That's why I am trying to create the recoveries to prevent something similar in the future.

By the way thanks for the advice.
Payam

[Fender67]

" What I found was it sticks to one of the svchost files and increasing the RAM usage in this way. Finally, I gave up one finding the solution, saved all my data and "

I strongly advise that you visit one of the sites I've mentionned because if the pc is still infected you will run into trouble very soon and the recovery disks will not help, some viruses access several location including Bios, MBR, MFT etc.

You will reinstall the OS only to find out, a few days later, that "strange" things are happening...

If you manage to get rid of any potential malware remnants I also advise purchase a full image OS backup utility like Paragon, Acronis, SSR13 etc and make full OS backups on one or even better on 2 external HDD's.

[RuaisLampSilog]

I am sorry for bringing back the dead in this thread.

I have a Vaio All in one VPCL225FL and its drive crashed. I do not have any recovery disk.

does anyone know how can I get the original w7 64 bits operating system that came with it?

I find no way to download or purchase them.

Thanks

[Marino.Manolo]

Your model was sold in Latin America, there seems to be no Recovery Media to buy. But now Microsoft allows the download of the Image (ISO) of Windows 7, so you could create a bootable disk or a bootable USB memory to install the Operating System. The necessary drivers can still find them on the support page:

https://www.sony-latin.com/en/electronics/support/laptop-pc-vpc-series/vpcl225fl

Manolo