Sony Vaio Laptop Hard Drive

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bj00uk

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Hi, I have a sony vaio vgn s18 gp laptop. It is a centrino laptop with 60gb hdd. This was bought in dubai in 2005 I think.
Basically today I switched on the laptop and I got a BSOD which said "unmountable_boot_volume". I cannot get the actual error code as the screen is crack. I searched up the "unmountable_boot_volume" BSOD on the internet and it was said the hard drive is the problem it could be corrupt OS files or a not working hard drive, so I tried to use the recovery CD but even though CD optical drive is first in BIOS it would keep going to to hard drive. I then opened up the laptop and removed the hard drive and put into into a 2.5 hdd external hdd caddy but the hard drive would not show up on my pc. I basically need to get really important files of the Hard Drive is there any way? I dont really care if the hard drive is unusable after that I just really need my files. I cant use get databack as drive does not show up? I heard of the freezer trick will it work?
 
"I heard of the freezer trick, will it work?"...

This "trick" was first indended to be used on the older desktop hard drives. I haven't tried it on laptop drives at all... If you really needed your files, they should have been backed up. Today, with the use of a USB backup device like an external CD/DVD burner or a thumb drive, there is no excuse to have to loose valuable data at all
 
First off, your computer won't see that hard drive in an external unit, you need to have an internal, then you need to set the current one properly. If you can state when the BSOD actually comes up, the error code especially would help, if the screen is cracked, plug an external monitor into the video port. Am I to assume you are running XP?
 
@Tmagic650
I was up late at night doing work, on a broken screen which was hard, I was tired and it completely slipped my mind to backup
@strategic
Yes it it Windows XP the BSOD comes up straight after windows loading screen. Yes an external monitor, the error code was
STOP; 0x000000ED (0X82D3DE30, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)
 
Hi. Anyone have any idea.

strategic said:
First off, your computer won't see that hard drive in an external unit, you need to have an internal, then you need to set the current one properly.
Click to expand...

strategic, how would I put this internally into a desktop as the cabling is different I remember seeing a 2.5 to 3.5 cable somewhere would that do it?

Also if I was to connect it to a desktop PC back it up on to another hard drive would I be able to make the 2.5 as master boot and try booting onto it and use the Vaio Recovery CD to restore it to factory? because for some reason even though the Optical CD Drive is 1st in BIOS on the Laptop it still goes straight to HDD

Many Thanks
 
Install your hard drive in a high quality external enclosure such as an Nextar 3, and you can recover all data with a usb cable using recover software or simple drag and drop using USB power. Better quality enclosure have their own power source.
You can use your exisiting Sony by purchase of a Fujitsu, Seagate, Western Digital, Toshiba, or Samsung EIDE Drive.
Install everything from original install disks on the new drive, before you attempt to move the old files... and do your best to create the new install as closely as the original as possible.
Strategic is perhaps mistaken. If the drive is usable (and they are 87 percent of the time), you will see it as a slave in the new enclosure.
I suggest you do nothing further with the old drive, until you have rescued valuable data. It may not last much longer, as the perimeter of the magnetic plates is probably already flaking away.
 
I have a Sony Vaio 2.5" external drive which which used the enclosure from, but the pc did not recognise it, if I was to insert into the pc and use some sort of adaptor would it work
 
It could work, but there is no way to know if the drive has been damaged... until you try.
Most enclosure systems work very well. Though we have heard many complaints about them, we have not see any in our shops.
It is very likely something is wrong with the drive, and putting it in another system may allow it to work properly... based on the fact that it is not recognized now.
Are you talking about using it as the main drive, or recovering data from it via another way.
There are low cost and simple systems whereby you can install the drive in an adapter (usualy cost $2.95 to $4.00 and place it in a desktop as a slave drive to rescue data.
 
Thanks for the help.

I will find the adaptor and try it out and will use it as slave.

Again Thanks for the help everyone!
 
Hi, Every1 sorry if I have bumped this post, but I really need to finish this off.

So I got a 2.5" to 3.5" adaptor connected the Hard Drive to my Desktop backup'd the data.
 
So I got a 2.5" to 3.5" adaptor connected the Hard Drive to my Desktop backup'd the data.

Then on my Desktop Iunplugged the Main HDD and booted from the 2.5" it never booted up because the Windows was not working. I then tried the Sony Vaio recovery CD but it would not work as the Desktop was not the right model for the CD, I therefore used a copy of Windows XP Home and installed it to the 2.5" HDD. It all installed and I managed to boot into Windows XP Home while it was plugged in the Desktop.

I then re-fitted the 2.5" into the Vaio Laptop and screwed everything back in place, I switched on the Vaio and it started up, but instead of actually seeing a Windows XP loading screen it just stayed Blank, I waited for a while to see if maybe it would work after a bit but nothing happened! So I switched it of and tried again but nothing happened again.

I then tried to see if the CD would boot up (which it did not do last time) I checked to make sure the CD drive was 1st on boot (as I had already set this before), but it kept going to HDD. I then restarted and pressed "Esc" which loads a window to choose what you want to boot from and still nothing.

Any one please help??

I also installed Ubuntu my programming course but I need some drivers and I cant find any for Ubuntu
 
You can't aexpect to install an o/s on one computer and have it work on another.
The peripherals/drivers/etc. are all different.
Since you have your data backed up, you can try to install the o/s on your laptop, but it's an old drive and probably won't last, but at least you have the important stuff dealt with.
 
Yes, That makes sense I understand know. I installed Ubantu like that and it worked?? I can't install the O/S on the laptop it just will not boot from cd drive? I dont know why it used to work last time I used it on windows.

Edit: Seems like Ubantu recognised the CD drive is there but cant recognise any CD or DVD just says not media inserted
 
Hi, from the above post you may feel that the cd drive does not seem to be working as far as I can tell, is there a way I can copy the files off the CD onto a USB and boot into the USB and install windows on the laptop??
 
There are threads on this forum that state you can install Windows on a USB, but it still won't have the drivers to run the PC peripherals, IMO you'll have to replace your CD drive.
 
Ok, I tried those tutorial my laptop to old to handle booting from USB. I fink I might have to Im beginning to think its not really worth it anymore, My screen is cracked, hard drive is nearly gone, sound card right side connector broken and CD drive seems to be gone, lol.

Thanks for all the help Strategic.

I will either buy new parts or just leave the laptop as it is as it is quite old and I do not really see the point in spending an odd £120/$200 in changing part I could possibly get a nice simple netbook for a little more.
 
UPDATE: Hi

As of 20 minutes ago this laptop has completely stopped working possibly due to motherboard failure.
 
The blank screen will occur if Windows detects the hardware has changed. You have to then use the same Windows install disk, and reinstall in R for repair mode... not R for recovery console

As for the current problem, what damaged the screen. Did you have impact damage that could have caused the other problems?

It is worth it to replace the screen... but only if the motherboard works properly.
 
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