Article ID : S1Q0008 / Last Modified : 06/13/2003

About the VAIO Recovery Wizard Utility

    Your VAIO® computer is equipped with the VAIO Recovery Wizard utility, a quick and easy-to-use system recovery utility.

    The VAIO Recovery Wizard utility offers:

    • Several recovery options to restore specific partitions on your hard disk drive and your preinstalled software programs.
    • Simple instructions that guide you through several recovery options. You can choose the default selections or customize your computer's recovery.
    • The ability to recover your computer without using CDs or other external media.


    You can access Help by following these steps:

    1. Turn on your computer.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    • Why do I see the error message, "Error loading operating system", after recovering my hard disk drive?

      On computers running under Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional Edition operating system, you may see this error message if the AC power was interrupted during the recovery process. If you see this error message, run the VAIO Recovery Wizard utility again.

    • Why do I see the error message, "Windows - No Disk", when I try to restart my computer, using my Recovery Media Kit?

      The media used to create your own Recovery Media Kit may be corrupted or unusable, due to media quality or incompatibility. To obtain another Recovery Media Kit, you can order from the Sony Direct Accessories and Parts Center Web site.

      1. Go to
      2. Enter your computer's model number (for example, PCV-XXXX), and click List Parts and accessories.
      3. Follow the online instructions to order the Recovery Media Kit.

      If you are not able to access the Sony Direct Accessories and Parts Center Web site, contact a customer service representative at 1-800-488-7669.

    • Why is my notebook computer's drive C size shown as 10 GB after recovery, when the original factory partition size was 15 GB?

      This may occur if your notebook computer's original hard disk drive size is 40 GB. Your drive C partition may show this smaller partition size after recovery, if you used the Recovery Media Kit to restore your computer. You can reset your computer to the original factory settings by performing a second hard disk drive recovery using VAIO Recovery Wizard utility from the computer. Do not use the Recovery Media Kit if you want to restore the 15 GB partition for drive C.

    • Why does my computer keep restarting after I have performed a hard disk drive recovery with my Recovery Media Kit?

      This may occur, if you have recovered your computer using the Recovery Media Kit and reclaimed the space originally reserved for the recovery partition (5 GB). To avoid this situation, try removing the Recovery DVD (or Recovery CD Disc 1) from your optical drive, immediately after the recovery process has completed. You may also consider performing a complete recovery, which restores the original recovery partition.

    • After inserting the Recovery DVD (or Recovery CD Disc 1), why doesn't my computer recognize the recovery disc?

      This may occur , when restarting your computer after running the system recovery portion. At the prompt message to insert the recovery disc, verify that the message box is active before inserting the recovery media. If your computer does not recognize the disc, try removing it from the optical drive and reinserting it again. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete.

    • Why do I see the error message, "Error occurred while partitioning. Error Code:4" after running the C Drive Recovery option?

      Follow the additional instructions in the dialog box to run the system recovery process with the C Drive Recovery option again.

    • Why can't I create my Recovery Media Kit with my CDs and DVDs?

      Verify that your CD and DVD media is not scratched or dirty. If this does not resolve the issue, it may be that your media is not compatible with your VAIO® computer. Media quality and compatibility varies between manufacturers, so try using a different brand of media.

    • Why do I see the error message, "VAIO Recovery Wizard cannot find the partition. Restart your computer", even when the recovery partition exists?

      If you have used the VAIO Recovery Wizard utility previously, the program may not have closed properly. Restart your computer and start the VAIO Recovery Wizard utility.

    Thank you.