I have recently bought a sony vaio laptop and its filled with vaio programs that frankly I don\\\'t need or use, I also have an issue with a virus which made me delete by mistake windows/config/system.exe file since when the norton anti-virus is not working properly and windows is not switching off (I have to remove the battery to switch it off).

so I have decided to format everything and start from scratch, any advice on how to go about it? or whether there is a better alternative?
thanks

You may like to read the tutorials here http://www.d-a-l.com/tutorials.php for formatting and reinstalling XP unless someone else has another solution to your problem.

Thanks Tassie Devil! I've read the formatting and reinstalling guides, a question I have is that I have only an XP update CD, it probably will not allow me to reinstall the OS, correct? In that case a repair Install will be in order and then manually removing the programs I don't need hopefully that will be enough to clean the PC.

You need to look in your manual for instructions to run your CD.

Every manufacturer has different options & instructions to run their OEM restoration. I looked online but do not get any info for just an FS.

The restoration should return the computer to Vaio factory specs.
If your other programs were added by the retailer then they will probably be lost.
If not & you wish to remove them after the restoration that sounds like the best idea.

Let us know if we can help further.

Thanks jephree, I did just that and returned the pc to vaio factory specs, it solved the problem I had with the virus and the pc not switching off. however I forgot to mention this detail before the DVD/Cd rom does not want to read any CD's whatsoever (DVD's reads them no problem) I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling an updated driver of the Cd but to no avail. I was hoping returning the pc to factory specs would repair the problem, but unfortunately it did not happen...I have no idea why it's doing this

Just to clarify:

You have a single DVD/CD drive that reads DVD's but not CD's?

Are you using any third party software for playing media?

Are you sure the CD's are compatible with the drive?

When you restored XP you did so off of a CD?
So it read that CD?

Also check the Device Manager: RT click My Computer then click Manage then Device Manager or go to start/run/ devmgmt.msc for any "!"

Yes I have a single Dvd Rw/Cd Rom which reads DVD's but not CD's, I am not using any third party software to play the media, just mediaplayer, and a couple of sony software which were included in the package 'sonicstage' and sony media, which I don't use.

I have tried all sort of CD's to check that there was no compatibility problems, nothing, audio cd's, data cd's blank cd's etc

I had actually tried to boot XP from the CD at startup but it did not read it, I resolved the previous issues by utilising a recovery tool to bring everything back to factory settings, and not by repair installing XP.


according to the device manager the DVD rw/Cd Rom is working properly, I have already uninstalled the driver and restarted the laptop, no luck, i suspect the problem is Hardware related and I'll have to send it for repairs

thanks guys for your help

I am having the same problem. My DVD/RW DW-56A of SONY VAIO VGN-A serie is trying to read anytype of CD (CD-R, CD-RW, etc). But there is no problem to read DVDs. Were you able to solve the problem after you sent it to maintenance?

Ermm I havin't actually sent it off yet seeing that I need the laptop at the moment (I travel a lot) well. the next step I'm trying is to download a complete driver and not just simply an update (which is what I was doing) and also to contact e-support at sony vaio still in the process though.

But it seems that my hard head will have to accept the fact that I will have to go to the local dealer and hand over my baby

If I have any progress, I'll let you know, by the way did you have any problems that could have led to the CD not working?

In fact I did nothing that could cause such a problem. But in the meantime It has begun functioning. I had done everything you had also tried, i.e. loading the driver again, completely recovering etc, but it had not worked.

I did nothing special, I was only trying to check if the DVD part of the notebook could be taken out, while it was trying to read a CD, I have put thenotebook, to be able to check it easier DVD, to its right (erected on its right) and I heard the famous sound of reading the CD.

Since that time it functions for all CDs. It is strange, but I recommend that you try it.