Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

Unmountable boot volume

- - - - -

  • Please log in to reply

#16
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Hi

 

The laptop came with Windows 8 pre installed, with an option to upgrade to 8.1 which I did straight away if I recall correctly.

There is a Windows 8 sticker on the base of the laptop but I couldn't find a 25 digit code, only the model and serial numbers.

 

I tried tapping f10 on startup but unfortunately it didn't do anything and only proceeded to the same black screen as before. I have previously been accessing a menu (troubleshooting recovery, bios, boot from usb etc) using an assist button next to the power button. Is this a different function to tapping f10?


  • 0

Advertisements


#17
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts

Sorry for the delay, got sidetracked yesterday  :(

 

As the computer shipped with Windows 8 pre installed the product key should be stored on the BIOS chip meaning that you may not have such a sticker.

 

F10 is what Sony say to tap but your model may differ, see if you can use the assist button to get you to the troubleshooting options then follow the steps from step 8 here if a no go, you may be better to just install a fresh copy of Windows from an ISO.


  • 0

#18
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts
No problem at all

I tried the recovery steps in the link above but the vaio care rescue window didn't open

Tried multiple times booting from a fresh iso but no luck

At this point I feel there may be little hope for the laptop but I'm extremely grateful for you help in recovering the data.

I think I may try and buy a replacement hard drive and see if that solves the problem.

Just one more thing I'd like to ask. As the hard drive can be accessed through Linux and all the data seems to be uncorrupted, do you think the problem definitely lies with the hard drive itself? Admittedly I don't understand the process involved in booting an iso from a usb, but if the problem was solely with the hard drive should that method not work?

Cheers
  • 0

#19
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts
I think I may try and buy a replacement hard drive and see if that solves the problem.

 

 

Hold off on that as there is nothing conclusive to say that the HDD is bad.

 

Burn a Windows 10 ISO to a DVD disk instead of to a USB, this will cut out any possible problems with UEFI/Legacy Mode.

 

All the steps that you need are here and all that you will need to do is configure the BIOS so that the computer boots from the DVD drive first, any problems with "how to" please let us know.


  • 0

#20
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Hi

 

I followed the steps outlined in your above post and created an ISO on disc using an older working laptop.

 

When trying to startup up using the DVD  however a message appears saying "press any key to boot from CD/DVD.." (which I assume means the ISO disc was created correctly?) then the VAIO logo appears with a loading wheel but just goes straight to a black screen from there. I can hear the disc drive stop reading the disc as the black screen appears.


  • 0

#21
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts

That is odd, can you check the contents of the DVD on your other computer please.

 

What speed did you burn the ISO at, x2 works best for me.


  • 0

#22
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts
The dvd currently shows 1 file on the disc, Windows 10 ISO (disc image file 3.58Gb)
 
I have the bios settings at boot from optical disc first and boot from external device enabled

EDIT

The pc I used had a default 4x speed I couldn't adjust

Edited by mackemmatt, 14 June 2016 - 03:23 PM.

  • 0

#23
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts

Did you check the contents of the folder.

 

The boot sequence should be DVD drive first, the HDD second and booting from an external device either third or disabled when booting from an internal optical drive.

 

X4 is next best and should result in a clean burn  :thumbsup:


  • 0

#24
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts

Not heard back from you mackemmatt, do you still require assistance or is the issue now resolved, an update would be appreciated.


  • 0

#25
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts
Hi

Sorry for the delay in replying, I had to order a new writable DVD.

I've tried multiple times with both usb and DVD and can't seem to get it to boot from either. I'm fairly confident I've followed all the steps be it the BIOS settings for USB or the boot order from disc.

Unfortunately I just can't seem to get to anything other than a blank screen on startup. The only thing that managed to run was the Linux OS you recommended. Is there anything that I can do from within there?

Cheers
  • 0

Advertisements


#26
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts

Hi

Sorry for the delay in replying, I had to order a new writable DVD.

I've tried multiple times with both usb and DVD and can't seem to get it to boot from either. I'm fairly confident I've followed all the steps be it the BIOS settings for USB or the boot order from disc.

Unfortunately I just can't seem to get to anything other than a blank screen on startup. The only thing that managed to run was the Linux OS you recommended. Is there anything that I can do from within there?

Cheers

 

As a quick check of your DVD ISO, configure your other computer to boot from the DVD drive, insert the ISO into the DVD drive then restart the computer to see if you get a "press any key to boot from disk" message, if you do remove the ISO, shut down the computer and post back here with an update for us.


  • 0

#27
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

How do you create the bootable USB or DVD and where have you downloaded Windows 10 from.

 

https://www.microsof...nload/windows10

 

I then just followed the instructions in the creator tool before sending to USB or writing to DVD

 

 

 

Hi

Sorry for the delay in replying, I had to order a new writable DVD.

I've tried multiple times with both usb and DVD and can't seem to get it to boot from either. I'm fairly confident I've followed all the steps be it the BIOS settings for USB or the boot order from disc.

Unfortunately I just can't seem to get to anything other than a blank screen on startup. The only thing that managed to run was the Linux OS you recommended. Is there anything that I can do from within there?

Cheers

 

As a quick check of your DVD ISO, configure your other computer to boot from the DVD drive, insert the ISO into the DVD drive then restart the computer to see if you get a "press any key to boot from disk" message, if you do remove the ISO, shut down the computer and post back here with an update for us.

 

 

Just tried the DVD on the older working laptop and received the "press any key to boot from disk" message


  • 0

#28
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts

Proves that your ISO is good at least.

 

Just tried the DVD on the older working laptop and received the "press any key to boot from disk" message

 

 

Please confirm whether or not you still get the same message on the computer that has issues.

 

You have your data backed up and an ISO to hand so can I ask if you would be prepared to completely wipe the HDD of all present data and then try to install Windows on a clean HDD.

 

JAFYI: If Windows will still not install after wiping it clean it does point towards mechanical failure of some sort. 


  • 0

#29
mackemmatt

mackemmatt

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts
Yes I'm happy that I've recovered all of the data I need from the hard drive so a clean wipe wouldn't be a problem
  • 0

#30
phillpower2

phillpower2

    Mechanised Mod

  • Global Moderator
  • 24,716 posts
Please confirm whether or not you still get the same message on the computer that has issues.

 

 

Can you also answer the above for us.

 

What I would do first is check that the boot sequence is set to DVD/CD drive first and then see if Puppy Linux can still access the data on the drive, if it can it makes it less likely (but not impossible) that it is the DVD drive that is not reading the ISO, Puppy will run on a CD only drive whereas Windows 10 needs a functional DVD drive due to the video content it contains, in short, the CD part of an optical drive can be working perfectly but quite often the laser on the DVD part of the drive fails and DVD content cannot be read or burned.

 

How to Erase a Hard Drive Using DBAN


  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP