PCG-SRX41P Notebook that is playing dead...help?

[jg01]

I recently inherited this notebook from my girlfriend with the simple instruction,
"Can you fix it?"

I have to confess I am a Mac user and have been for at least 3 major revulsions of windows...
However that aside, I realised that the windows registry was unwell and fixed that
Then realised that the explorer .exe was corrupt so reinstalled that...
Then windows showers me with updates, fixes, patches, service packs...etc

The issue is that now after at least 25 rounds of updates the machine does even less now than when I started!

It auto logs in as a single user then loads windows xp pro then stops short of the desktop icons, shortcuts etc that it was displaying yesterday...

I have no start/windows button on screen and no icons just a plain desktop image

the only process that seems to be running is, ironically, is system idle process that is taking upto 99% of the cpu capacity...

Any suggestions?
jg

[apierc1]

Have you tried performing a system recovery?

[jg01]

I have none of the oringinal disks nor do i have the external optical drive...?

help...

jg

[apierc1]

I'm not sure, maybe someone else can clarify, there is on most if not all (depending on age) a recovery partition on Vaios, so after turning the computer on press I think it is F8 repeatedly while its booting and it should take you to the recovery set up from the partition. Although remember you would lose all information on your C:drive (depending on option used) if this works.

[rich912]

I'm not sure, maybe someone else can clarify, there is on most if not all (depending on age) a recovery partition on Vaios, so after turning the computer on press I think it is F8 repeatedly

F10, but unfortunately this model doesn't have a recovery partition.

You can purchase a set of recovery disks from Vaio-Link at a cost of approx. £50

[Blencogo]

Here is a copy of the Manual

ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/pub/Manuals/Notebooks/SR/SRX41P/SRX41P_H_UK.pdf

Looks like this model had an iLink external DVD-ROM drive with a custom connector that goes into the small 4-pin firewire port and into the custom power out terminal next to it. Unusual setup as most PC powered firewire devices use the 6-pin firewire connector.

You would need this drive (or a PC Card connected drive) to boot from an external drive.

[jg01]

I have now been given the aforementioned external drive so any further suggestions?

Or Should I give up and go for a complete restart and a clean install?

JG