Sony Vaio Operating System not found?

[Derp Derpinson]

I have a Sony Vaio laptop, model number SVE14AJ16L and I got a new hard drive since the hold had stopped working. I didn't need any files on the the old drive, so I just popped it out. I installed the new drive, but then the Assist button wasn't working. I googled this, and I couldn't find a solution. I needed to install Vaio care, but couldn't find the Vaio care for my model number. I needed to install Windows 8, but for some reason, it wouldn't detect the DVD or the USB drive. I made the USB bootable using rufus, and I downloaded an ISO and was planning to put in the serial number on the bottom of my laptop. It just would say Operating System not found. I can't go into the BIOS, since that is what the assist button is for, and it just wont detect it. The DVD spins up, and the USB activity light blinked, but nothing. I have no idea what is going on. Even when I took out the hard drive, and put in the DVD/USB, it would still say Operating System not found.


TL;DR
Installed a new drive, ASSIST not working, doesn't detect a bootable USB/DVD, only comes up as Operating System not found. I made USB/DVD bootable, and tested it on other computers.


Please help, thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

You need to get into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot from the USB.

 

[Derp Derpinson]

You need to get into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot from the USB.

I told you I can't, the Assist button is not working. That is the only way to access the BIOS without an Operating System.

 

[USAFRet]

The BIOS happens far earlier than the 'Sony Assist' (which doesn't exist until you install it with the new OS).

Somewhere in your user manual, it will tell you what button to press to access the BIOS on boot up.
Or maybe it will tell you on the BIOS screen as it boots up.

Disregard that 'Assist' thing.

 

[Derp Derpinson]

The BIOS happens far earlier than the 'Sony Assist' (which doesn't exist until you install it with the new OS).

Somewhere in your user manual, it will tell you what button to press to access the BIOS on boot up.
Or maybe it will tell you on the BIOS screen as it boots up.

Disregard that 'Assist' thing.

In the manual there is nothing about a button. I tried keys ESC, and all the F- keys. I looked online, and it said the Sony integrated the Assist button with E/F series laptop, and found nothing else.

 

[USAFRet]

The BIOS happens far earlier than the 'Sony Assist' (which doesn't exist until you install it with the new OS).

Somewhere in your user manual, it will tell you what button to press to access the BIOS on boot up.
Or maybe it will tell you on the BIOS screen as it boots up.

Disregard that 'Assist' thing.

In the manual there is nothing about a button. I tried keys ESC, and all the F- keys. I looked online, and it said the Sony integrated the Assist button with E/F series laptop, and found nothing else.

When you boot up, exactly what do you see?

 

[Derp Derpinson]

The BIOS happens far earlier than the 'Sony Assist' (which doesn't exist until you install it with the new OS).

Somewhere in your user manual, it will tell you what button to press to access the BIOS on boot up.
Or maybe it will tell you on the BIOS screen as it boots up.

Disregard that 'Assist' thing.

In the manual there is nothing about a button. I tried keys ESC, and all the F- keys. I looked online, and it said the Sony integrated the Assist button with E/F series laptop, and found nothing else.

When you boot up, exactly what do you see?

The VAIO logo for about 3-4 seconds, then Operating System not found. When a DVD/USB is connected, the VAIO logo comes on for 5-7 seconds, then to Operating System not found.

 

[USAFRet]

On power up....
DEL, F8, possibly F1....

 

[Derp Derpinson]

On power up....
DEL, F8, possibly F1....

None of the buttons work.

 

[USAFRet]

Possibly hold the Assist button as you power up.
http/www.tomsguide.com/forum/88971-35-change-boot-order-sony-vaio-series

 

[Derp Derpinson]

Tried, nothing.

 

[USAFRet]

Tried, nothing.

Contact Sony.
"My hard drive died. How do I access the BIOS after I've changed the hard drive? I need to boot from the DVD."

 

[Derp Derpinson]

Tried, nothing.

Contact Sony.
"My hard drive died. How do I access the BIOS after I've changed the hard drive? I need to boot from the DVD."

I found a solution that is quite weird, and lead to another problem.

I have a desktop, with an extra SATA and power cable, so I hooked up the old hard drive and installed Windows from the desktop. Everything is fine and dandy. I did all the customization things and did it all the way until I reached the desktop. I shut down the computer, and took out the hard drive, and out the hard drive back in the laptop. It booted to it successfully, and installed the drivers form there. Now there is a fully functioning laptop. The ASSIST button wasn't working, because some idiotic moron (me) poked a hole in the flex cable, trying the get the keyboard to pop out, for a regular cleaning a few months back.

Now, my desktop has a problem.

When I installed Windows 8, I disconnected all other drives, and only left the laptop drive, and the USB drive I was installing it from. So I disconnected my Windows 7 boot SSD, my storage, and my second storage drives. After Windows 8 was installed, I took out the hard drive. I re-connected the SATA to my drives, and reconfigured the boot order in the BIOS to be the SSD first. Now, when I press the power button, the computer POSTs and after that, it says "Your PC needs o be repaired. File is missing: \Windows\system32\winload.exe
0xc000000e

I need to press F9 to get into Windows 7, and after that, I went into msconfig, and there were no operating systems listed, under Boot. It also said Windows isn't genuine, and I just reactivated that using the sticker under my sister's laptop. Where is this PC needs to be repaired coming from? I have took out the installed laptop hard drive, and USB drive.

I have no idea why this is happening, and I would greatly appreciate your help.


TL;DR
New problem, PC needs to be repaired error for Windows 8, but I have Windows 7. No operating system to be found in msconfig, under Boot.

 

[ynothd]

to get to my sony vaio bios, i keep hitting the f2 button as soon as i hit the power button and it will pop up and i quit hitting the f2 then, and i move around the bios as much as it will allow me to but i can switch the boot menu. read the bottom of bios page to find out how to change the order and save. you should be able to go to sony.com to get drivers and vaio care

 

[Depak Mogok]

to get to my sony vaio bios, i keep hitting the f2 button as soon as i hit the power button and it will pop up and i quit hitting the f2 then, and i move around the bios as much as it will allow me to but i can switch the boot menu. read the bottom of bios page to find out how to change the order and save. you should be able to go to sony.com to get drivers and vaio care

 

[Marc-M]

Hi,

you can do the following:
- shut down computer
- when the computer is shit down:
- press (and hold) the "assist" button
- the computer will start prompting you possibilities (e.g. open BIOS, system repair etc.)

 

[Stud_Beefpiler]

I'm not sure if this will do you any good, but I had a vaio come through my doors a week ago with the "operation system cannot be found" error. The mystical "Assist" button did not assist.
The person who gave me this laptop had formatted the hard drive, but evidently, there is a 32GB SSD soldered onto the mobo. This SSD is setup into a weird softraid.

Anyhow, long story short. I discovered that after removing all of the screws from the HDD drive carrier, upon booting up, I was given the opportunity to enter the raid controller configuration. After going into that and breaking the raid so there were just two independent disks, I was able to reinstall Windows with a USB dvd drive.

TLDR:
If assist doesn't work and you want to reinstall windows but just get "operating system not found".

Quick and dirty.
Remove the screws holding the HDD in. Power up the laptop. Press Ctrl + i
Remove the disks from the raid.
Reinstall windows.
Use the Intel storage matrix thing in windows to "accelerate" the system.

With the vaio I worked on, mashing F2 on boot got me into the bios where I could set boot priority.

 

[Evandro_Prado]

Its take me time, but here is what solve the problem for me:

1 - Hit the power button and keep pressing F2. You need to be Fast!

2 - Now you are in the bios, go to boot and then change the boot method to Legacy, it's probably "uefi"

3 - Save and exit, its worked for me, and there is no VAIO logo anymore at the start =)

 

[iluvnailz]

The BIOS happens far earlier than the 'Sony Assist' (which doesn't exist until you install it with the new OS).

Somewhere in your user manual, it will tell you what button to press to access the BIOS on boot up.
Or maybe it will tell you on the BIOS screen as it boots up.

Disregard that 'Assist' thing.

In the manual there is nothing about a button. I tried keys ESC, and all the F- keys. I looked online, and it said the Sony integrated the Assist button with E/F series laptop, and found nothing else.

repeatadly hit the f2 key till the bios comes up then arrow >>> over to the bios arrow down to the boot that u want first

 

[Satria55]

mine are vpcca3aj japanese version vaio, to boot to bios i push the f12 button repeteadly