Nothing works

[macsco]

Hi. i am new. I am here because I bought a Vaio, and it does not work.
I join this forum and try a search to find an answer to my problem, and the search facility does not work. (It returns no results whatever I put in).
The model I have is badged PCG-8QDM, google this and its like finding the lost ark.
I ran the serial through Sonys 'have you got something you wish you did not have' service.
And it says you have a vgn-a115z. Continuing:
'Use this info and ignore all refereces you see or hear

' (Or words to that effect).
Now the problem, I have a recovery disk, that tells me its for the VGN-100A seies.
Guess what. It does not work.
It gets underway and then tells me it cannot continue, I must check my model. Exit recovery, goodbye.
I am not surprised the CD does not know the version, it obviously is not taking note of Sonys 'You aint seen me guv, I am something else'

The Hardware is fine. I have insatalled a copy of win 98. and then I put a hookey copy of XP on, no probs.
All I want to do is install the correct paid for version of XP on my paid for legit Vaio.
And I cannot.
So whats wrong, does the recovery disc need something else? info on drive? no info on drive? coffee allround.
Any wiz out there can tell me how I do a simple search in this place, and/or enlighten me on my install problem, I would be obliged.

Failing that I will post the eBay number for this pile, shortly.
be like.no.other, (without a computer that works)
macsco

[Thalamus.]

Hi masco,

welcome to Club vaio..

I did a search on Google and as I far as I can tell your Vaio model PCG-8QDM is a VGN-A215M..

If you enter your serial number into this I cannot find my VAIO model link, what model does it say you have...

Was the recovery disc supplied by Sony..?

Do you have a Vaio recovery tool in Start > All Programs..?

[macsco]

Hello
Model number on the back is PCG-8QDM
Putting the serial number in the Sony link tells me its a VGN-115Z.
Which is what was on the box it came with.
The model is Swiss (CH) and came with 3 recovery disks French German Italian.
Each stating Series VGN-A100 recovery Disk
The laptop was 'new' when I got it this year, but I guess it is a few years old.
It will happily take any other operating system (win98, win XP retail), so I doubt there are any hardware issues.
I also saw the VGN-A215M reference on google. And wondered if I had the wrong start up disk.
But the serial confirms VGN-115Z.
And I just found that the model is also in the bios VGN-115Z(CH).
macsco

[Thalamus.]

Here are the Specs and an image of a VGN A115Z does that look like your Vaio..?



Here is a guide on how to recover a Vaio VGN A115Z , try resetting the BIOS as per the instructions and then follow the guide does this allow you to recover your Vaio..

[macsco]

Hello
Thanks for your advice, it did not directly help, but got me looking at the problem in a different way.
The laptop IS a VGN-A115Z, the bios was set OK, but when the recovery utility ran it loaded and then finished with 'Cannot continue, check your model' (para-phrasing).
But after seeing the screenshots in the link you provided. As I closed this window, for a split second you could see the recovery program running, before the machine re-booted.
This got me looking at the files on the disc, locversion being of interest.
Making me think that all the software and hardware was OK, but the bios was locked in some way.
So I opened up another disk (German) you recall it came with 3.
Anyway it loaded straight away, and gets the laptop running with a full authenticated XP version in German.
On the German disk the locversion file has a number E-EM-00021-23 DE Loc3 2.0.00.15180 the Italian file is E-EM-00021-42 IT Loc2 2.0.00.15180.
Could well be these differences are just for the language.
But I wondered if the bios has been locked to one language at some point.
I call it a result of sorts, I cannot live with German (any ideas) but the frustration of not being able to get it to run any of the supplied software is on the wane.
Thanks

[Thalamus.]

Hi macsco,

it may be worth contacting Vaio-Link to confirm if the BIOS is locked once one of the three languages is first selected..

I suspect this could be the case..