My First GPT Nightmare

[citizensmith]

Really need some help. My first GPT and I am seriously lost

I got a Windows 8 Sony Vaio AIO , SVL2412z1e on the bench. User downloaded some fake Itunes software. PC blue screened. She then tried every recovry and reset option available. And used some 'really good info off of the youtube'. They have no idea what they typed in. Now it just boot loops with "PC has a problem can't fix" messages.
The built in sony recovery says that it'spartition is missing. DART can't locate recovery image.
Good news - no user data on it.
Bad news - "The Sony site is temporarily under construction" & I don't know if its w8 or w8.1 www.sony.co.uk/support/en/content/cnt-dwnl/SVL2412Z1E/list so no drivers or anything available.

MSDART & Gandalfs PE disk shows GPT partitions as

SonySys 260mb FAT32
Windows RE 1.44gb NTFS
EFI 260mb FAT32
unknown 128mb Z:
Windows 1.8gb NTFS C:
? 450mb NTFS
Recovery 35gb NTFS

Cant work out how to make the Windows RE "active\ Bootable so it can see the Recovery partition
All partitions are HIDDEN except for C:. I Used DISKPART to assign drive letters. Copied SonySys, Windows RE and Recovery to NAS. Can see the 16.2gb WIM file in Recovery. The drive letters don't stay after reboot


Tried how-can i repair the windows 8 efi bootloader http://superuser.com/questions/460762/how-can-i-repair-the-windows-8-efi-bootloader

cd /d b:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\
bootrec /fixboot
bcdboot c:\Windows /l en-gb /s b: /f ALL
No change.

Read the 2 MS pages on
Configure UEFI/GPT-Based Hard Drive Partitions by Using Windows PE and DiskPart https://technet.microsoft.com/en-GB/library/hh825686.aspx
&
Applying Windows, System, and Recovery Partitions by using a Deployment Script
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-GB/library/hh825089.aspx

So - Leave BIOS in UEFI & Boot fro MSDART ? Use diskpart to CLEAN, CONVERT GPT then make the 5 default partitions (Windows RE, EFI, MSR, Windows, Recovery Image) what then? Just copy existing RE & Recovery files apropriately. Will it boot into Windows RE then run Recoovery .WIM?
OR
just use DISM with the .wim? Yes I am that lost
Any ideas or have I missed something easy and frekin' obvios.

 

[Kitten Kong]

Sounds like you may need a full nuke.

Have a look at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media for making a simple installer using a usb pen.

 

[wavey]

The best success I've had with partition recovery was with Easus, must be something like 75% success rate.

Testdisk is supposed to great also, but i've never sat down & worked it out.

good luck

 

[citizensmith]

I got hammer, petrol, matches.

Trying to do the "right"thing here. Cheapo way is to just craete the basic GPT partitions. Then zap the Install.wim back in.to the Windows partition with DISM. Then they have no Recovery options.

@CadisheadComputers - W8 repair \ refresh does not find the OS on C: Don't want to loose all the drivers for this fancy paperweight.
@wavey - The partitions & info are there. I can browse the C: and other partitions if assigned letters.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Don't want to lose all the drivers for this fancy paperweight.

That's why I use Snappy Driver Installer.

 

[citizensmith]

That's why I use Snappy Driver Installer.

Good point. It would be nice if Sony "support" site was on the ball. Or there at all.

 

[FremontPC]

Take a look at the post by boozi here:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/the-drive-where-windows-is-installed-is-locked

Are you able to get into BIOS/EFI?

 

[A/CPC]

Bad news - "The Sony site is temporarily under construction"

Seems to be up now.

 

[Markverhyden]

Site is working for me - http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/SVL2412Z1E

 

[citizensmith]

@A/CPC & @markverhyden - Thanks guys, Now I looked there I wish it was still off - loads of drivers.

@FremontPC - Yep saw Boozi post and this one from July 2014 https://www.technibble.com/forums/threads/diskpart-script-gpt-dism-windows-8.58251/ Yes I can access BIOS / enable EFI / legacy, Vaio is real fussy about when to press button for Assiststartup menu

I used DISM to put the Install.wim back onto Windows partition - Still wont boot, but now detects that it has Windows 8. Going to try the MS link and go for the CLean, Convert 5 parttion method.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

If you have to, yank the drive and attach it to another system that is booted to parted magic, use the tool to destroy all the partitions and just nuke and pave it if they don't need any data and use snappy if you need the drivers.

 

[NJW]

I've just gone through a week of similar pain with a Toshiba laptop – clearly something missing, as it wouldn't get to the login screen, just booting to a blank screen (nothing wrong with the hardware; offline rootkit and virus scan found nothing). SFC reported file errors, but no way to get logs when run from a WinPE environment: how stupid is that?

I ended up pulling off the user data, wiping the partition table and installing Win8.1 from scratch. I didn't bother trying to save the OEM restore partition, as it was Win8, so essentially useless as a recovery option, anyway.

Start with Snappy for the drivers, WSUSOffline for the bulk of the updates, then fill any gaps with OEM downloads, finishing off with Windows Update. It was a quick (manhours, not computer hours) and painless experience. I think that Windows 8.x has lowered the threshold for the N&P decision, for me, as recovering an existing installation is just a nightmare. Heck, just getting to the maintenance options on demand is nigh on impossible, at least on that machine.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I know what you mean because of ones I've fought with. Windows 7 was sweet because many times you could repair the existing install and the current would look at you like you were some kind of computer wizard, especially if you conned a failing hard drive to a new one and then deliver it back exactly as it was before any issues.

 

[Porthos]

As good as I am with 8, If it does not boot I go straight to backup and prepare for a nuke. I don't spend lots of time screwing with it.

There are exceptions depending on customers willingness to pay for and be without the computer for a longer time frame.

 

[A/CPC]

Just a thought, but does Sony not sell recovery media for this machine?

 

[NJW]

... does Sony not sell recovery media for this machine?

The problem with OEM recovery discs is that they will be the same version as delivered with the machine – likely Windows 8, rather than 8.1. This is not really a viable recovery option, imo.

 

[Markverhyden]

The problem with OEM recovery discs is that they will be the same version as delivered with the machine – likely Windows 8, rather than 8.1. This is not really a viable recovery option, imo.

And loaded with bloatware as well.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Plus isn't Sony out of the pc business now?

 

[A/CPC]

The problem with OEM recovery discs is that they will be the same version as delivered with the machine – likely Windows 8, rather than 8.1. This is not really a viable recovery option, imo.

Agreed. Thanks.

 

[Markverhyden]

Plus isn't Sony out of the pc business now?

Domestically. They sold off VAIO to a Japanese company if I remember correctly.