Sony Vaio Desktop format

Shenan Stanley wrote:
pheasant wrote:

Friend got new computers at work.

Was told to either junk or take home old system.

Told him I had a copy of XP Pro, and he had the key on sticker, so
I'd format and reload a fresh copy to get rid of any sensitive data.

Well, after I tried to format, it tells me disk is unformattable,
possible disk failure, but I've got a real strong hunch I deleted
someting Sony had hidden like the other makers do.

Tried to do a repair, but everything is gone.

I'm "over my head" as Fleetwood Mac sung 30 years ago.


First - the CD (copy of Windows XP Professional Edition) you had - was it an
OEM/Sony edition?

Often those OEM sticker product keys are tied in with the OEM's particular
modification on the CD - BIOS locked.
Sometimes - with a true generic OEM copy of Windows XP CDs - you can use the
product key from the sticker to install with your media - but sometimes you
cannot.

OK. Sounds like I'm hosed.

Sorry about NOT cross posting. Can't please anyone it seems. Usually
get colon cleansed for doing so; thought I'd try this way.

Think I'll just say the hell with asking for advice, people would rather
flame someone who doesn't follow these friggin groups as a religion, and
just wants a simple question answered.
Again, sorry I didn't use proper etiquette. Will just let my friends
pay 50 bucks an hour from Geeksquad to fix stupid things we all
occasionally do.
I'm gone.

"pheasant" wrote in message
...
Shenan Stanley wrote:
pheasant wrote:

Friend got new computers at work.

Was told to either junk or take home old system.

Told him I had a copy of XP Pro, and he had the key on sticker, so
I'd format and reload a fresh copy to get rid of any sensitive data.

Well, after I tried to format, it tells me disk is unformattable,
possible disk failure, but I've got a real strong hunch I deleted
someting Sony had hidden like the other makers do.

Tried to do a repair, but everything is gone.

I'm "over my head" as Fleetwood Mac sung 30 years ago.


First - the CD (copy of Windows XP Professional Edition) you had - was it an OEM/Sony
edition?

Often those OEM sticker product keys are tied in with the OEM's particular modification
on the CD - BIOS locked.
Sometimes - with a true generic OEM copy of Windows XP CDs - you can use the product
key from the sticker to install with your media - but sometimes you cannot.

OK. Sounds like I'm hosed.

Sorry about NOT cross posting. Can't please anyone it seems. Usually get colon
cleansed for doing so; thought I'd try this way.

Think I'll just say the hell with asking for advice, people would rather flame someone
who doesn't follow these friggin groups as a religion, and just wants a simple question
answered.
Again, sorry I didn't use proper etiquette. Will just let my friends pay 50 bucks an
hour from Geeksquad to fix stupid things we all occasionally do.
I'm gone.

Chose wisely the groups to which you x post. Anything with windows XP in the title, will
surely get you a negative response.

Choose...........................