Sony Vaio Recovery Center: Complete Guide to Backup and Restore

Sony Vaio computers are renowned for their ease of use when it comes to backing up, recovering, or performing a factory restore, largely thanks to the user-friendly recovery center that comes pre-installed on all factory Sony Vaio computers. To ensure that users are able to take full advantage of these features, this article provides comprehensive guidance on accessing the Sony Vaio Recovery Center and executing all necessary procedures to carry out backups, restores, recoveries, and diagnoses in any possible scenario. Following these guidelines will ensure that users can successfully and efficiently manage their Sony Vaio computers.

• Official Sony Vaio Recovery Guide PDF

To save PDF right click the link below, for Google Chrome “Save link as…”, for Internet Explorer “Save Target As…”.

Documentation PDF: Sony Vaio Recovery Guide 

Sony Vaio Recovery Center Access Instructions

1. Open the Control Panel by clicking Start on the Windows® taskbar, then selecting Control Panel.
2. If you don’t see Performance and Maintenance in the Control Panel, switch to Category View on the left side of the window and click Performance and Maintenance.
3. Select VAIO Recovery Wizard from the Performance and Maintenance panel.
4. Click Next in the Welcome window.
5. Follow the instructions provided on the screen. Note that using the VAIO Recovery Wizard may require a computer restart, even if you choose to exit the wizard without performing any actions.

Sony Vaio recovery center Hot Key

• To access the Sony Vaio recovery center quickly, use the F10 hotkey during system boot. Once the boot menu appears, press F10, and you will be directed straight to the recovery center.

Using the Sony Vaio Recovery Center

Key points to keep in mind when using the Sony Vaio recovery center:

1. You can access the recovery center through the Start menu>All Programs or by navigating to C:>Program Files>Sony>Vaio Recovery.
2. Backing up your data is important to ensure you don’t lose any important files or documents. The recovery center allows for scheduled backups to devices or networks.
3. Performing a recovery allows you to restore your computer to an earlier backup location, such as a disc or storage device.
4. Restoring the complete system will bring your computer back to its original settings when it was first turned on. This means that all saved data will be lost.
5. Scheduling automatic backups is a great way to ensure that your data is always retrievable in case of a virus or system failure.
6. The recovery center’s “Restore C:” option allows you to restore the C drive of your Sony Vaio, which is commonly used to recover photos, documents, and other data.
7. The “Wipe and Erase Data” option allows you to delete specific data, such as an entire drive, like C:. This can be useful if you plan on selling your Sony Vaio.

Sony Vaio System Restore Instructions

• 1. Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and click Control Panel.

The Control Panel window appears.

• 2. In the Control Panel window, click Performance and Maintenance.

If Performance and Maintenance is not listed in the Control Panel window, click Switch to Category View on
the left side of the window, and click Performance and Maintenance.
The Performance and Maintenance panel appears.
Using the VAIO Recovery Wizard may require you to restart your computer, even if you cancel and exit the
wizard.

• 3. Click VAIO Recovery Wizard.

The VAIO Recovery Wizard window appears.

• 4. In the Welcome window, click Next.
• 5. Select Proceed with System Recovery, and click Next.
• 6. Select Windows System Restore, and click Next.
• 7. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Recovery or Restore: Due to computer infections, viruses, adware, broken hardware, etc.

It is important to know what is wrong with your Sony Vaio to understand what steps you will need to take. Computer infections, viruses, broken hardware, and other problems require a more tactical approach when accessing the Sony Vaio recovery center.

Computer Virus Symptoms:

• Your operating system may still work but will not allow you to access files or folders.
• Your computer turns on but the screen goes black or turns a different color.
• Your computer turns on but freezes immediately or at any given time limit.
• Internet browsing shows too many pop up windows, advertisements, or re-directs. (re-directs can go unnoticed and can happen using websites like Google)

If you suspect a virus or infections and can not easily access your Vaio recovery center read the steps and options further below.

Signs of broken hardware or computer part:

• Computer turns on but only shows a black screen and you may not enter any menus or screens.
• The operating system logo (Microsoft windows logo) is the only thing you on your computer screen.
• Computer shuts off whenever it wants to.

If your hard drive is malfunctioning or broken you may not be able to access your files until you fix the part or use the drive connected to another compatible computer. In cases of a significant solid state drive you may not have much luck recovering data depending on the year and model of your Sony vaio.

Using the factory pre installed software boot disc:
The boot disc is not always necessary. In matters of new a new solid state hard drive your boot disc may be used to reboot your system, perform recoveries, and factory restores or install missing drives, even the Vaio Recovery Center may be installed. Therefore without getting into a whole new category it’s not recommended to use your boot disc unless of significant hardware failure, no access to menus or your operating system, or some type of hardware and software replacement.

How to access the Sony Vaio recovery center with the boot/recovery disc:

• Turn your Sony Vaio computer ON.
• Open the disc drive, and place the Startup Recovery Disc into the optical drive – then close the disc drive.
• Turn your computer OFF.
• Wait a few seconds and turn your Vaio back ON.
• When prompted, insert Recovery Disc 1 into the optical drive, and click OK. (The VAIO Recovery Wizard will appear)
• Click Next.
• Select one of the available menu options.

Missing or lost boot disc/recovery disc for Sony Vaio:
If you can not find your disc or can not find the recovery center on your Sony Vaio computer for whatever reason you may contact Sony support for a new disc. There are no downloads.

You should never download a standalone recovery center unless it is part of a trusted virus protection company included in their software.

Click and drag files onto a disc, flash drive, external hard drive, and other storage devices:
There are different ways to backup files onto a hard drive, compact disc, flash drive, media card, etc. using Windows on a Sony Vaio.

• Enter a disc or connect your memory drive to your computer whatever you prefer to use which has enough space to store what you want.
• Then open the “my computer” window, which can be found in your start menu most of the time. You should see an icon suggesting a storage device is properly connected. (Its not necessary but you may right click this storage device icon and open it in a new window.)
• Select the folders, pictures, documents, videos, programs, etc. which you want to save or back up from your computer using the folder icons to navigate (or select your entire drive folder such as C:) and drag it (by holding the left button on your mouse) into the storage device.

Storage device icons commonly look like this  (below) in Windows Explorer or “My Computer”:

About CD and DVD media

The number of recordable CDs or DVDs required to create a VAIO Recovery Media Kit varies, depending on computer model.
Your computer must be equipped with a recordable optical drive, such as a CD-RW, DVD-RW, or DVD±RW drive.
You can create a recovery media kit using:

•  CD-R media
•  Single layer DVD+R or DVD-R media

You cannot create a recovery media using:

• CD-RW media
•  DVD+RW media
•  DVD-RW media
•  Double layer DVD+R or DVD-R medi