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What do I do with used HDD and dead computer?????? Help an Idiot!

gryppipe

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Posted August 7, 2013 at 10:53PM

Hello people, I hope someone can advise me.... My Sony Vaio laptop ceased working with "unable to locate operating system" displayed and what I now know is the "tick of death" from within. Reading stuff lead me to conclude that the HDD was deceased. I have no backup start up or any form of recovery discs..you don't really need em do you????!!! I have purchased a used (PS3) 2.5" Sata HDD off the tinterweb and installed that in the Vaio very carefully! I inserted the Vista OS disc in the CD drive and booted up. The machine starts to install windows but cant get to the C drive. Keep it very simple for me please, step by step, what on earth do I do? I would really like to fix the machine, I'm having to use HERS and she gets angsty! I don't really want to take it to the local spotty herberts, i'd like to understand it and fix it myself. Any and all help will be gratefully received THANKS

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lotvic

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Posted August 8, 2013 at 12:34AM

The drive will have to be wiped, partitioned and formatted.

Read through the guides to installing Vista

Watch out for the part where it says 'Next you will select the location of the install. Select the drive, and then click on "Drive Options" to setup and Format the drive'

You can choose guide according to version you are installing (make sure it matches the product key you have) click here is the Vista Home Premium page for Repair, Uninstall, Upgrade, reinstall, install and Troubleshooting Microsoft's Windows Vista Home Premium Edition click here

This

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woodchip

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Posted August 9, 2013 at 6:22PM

have you tried the old drive back in the laptop

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gryppipe

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Posted August 9, 2013 at 6:41PM

Yes have tried the old drive...still U/S Have now managed to get the second hand HDD recognised by another computer and am in the process of re formatting to NTFS from within Disc management function it is taking an age though. Will advise if successful. Thanks

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lotvic

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Posted August 9, 2013 at 7:05PM

Don't forget after you have installed Vista you will need to download and install the Drivers for the hardware (available from Sony website support - find your laptop model number)

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