Windows 7 cannot install

Hey guys, firstly i am new here so excuse the dodgy terminology. Secondly this might be a long post but i will try my best to include every detail as accurately as possible.

Okay, so i purchased a Sony VAIO VGN-NW20EF about a year ago with intregrated Windows 7 Home premium (not sure if 32bit or 64bit) which had Microsoft Office. Upon using Office, it prompted me to enter a product key which i kept putting off until a month or two ago. I tried entering and re-entering the product key located at the base of the laptop as there were no others supplied, but this did not work. So i rather foolishly went and googled a keygen (apologies if this upsets anyone, if its any consolation i have well and truely learnt my lesson.)

So up pops a link from Google to a site, and i click. within this site there is a link to 'keygen' so i click. with 2-3secs my laptop shutsdown and restarts. This process repeated everytime i got to the desktop upon booting up.

At the time, i thought my only alternative and maybe my best plan of action was to completely reboot the laptop back to factory settings. *cough* how wrong was I?

i achieved this by hitting F10 and entering the recovery partition in the Hard drive (as i never made a recovery disc, nor did i receive one) which worked okay. i got the laptop back to the stage as if i was turning it on for the first time after purchase.

There is a few scenarios that occured once i got back to factory settings.

I switch on the laptop, up pops the VAIO logo (as usual) and it continues to the Windows loading screen. after this it proceeds to the 'Preparing computer for first use' screen. This is where the problems start.

at the same screen as mentioned above, it firstly proceeded to 'installing registry' (or something like that) then WHAM! Big Blue screen naming an error something about ('something' is lower or equal to 'something') - sorry about lack of info. So i restart, retry etc. Nowhere further.

Then it got to the stage of once the 'preparing computer for first use' an small windows error box appeared in the middle of the screen saying 'could not complete installation, please restart to complete installation' or something to that affect. So i restart, same thing, and again, and again.

I was on with a Sony 'Technician' via a chat service and he talked me through certain steps and scenarios which ruled out any hardware faults. he concluded that purchase a Sony Recovery disc from the store. So, like anyone who had just lost their job with no money and unable to freely purchase such things, i googled recovery disc, to find any cheap ones. long story short, i was on neosmart and found a recovery disc, downloaded (64bit), burnt to disc and put it in the laptop. the recovery centre booted but said that Windows Could not startup (still on the recovery centre screen).

So now i am left with a laptop which does not want to install Windows.

Firstly i would like someone to confirm for me, Do i have a virus and if so from the current hole i am in, how would i get rid of it?

and Secondly, is there another way of my re-installing windows?

Thanks for your time, and many, many thanks in advance.

Stephen, UK

1) You will need to buy MS Office, the product key located at the base is for Windows 7 only.
2) The recovery disc on neosmart, is a Startup disk only.

theog said:

1) You will need to buy MS Office, the product key located at the base is for Windows 7 only.
2) The recovery disc on neosmart, is a Startup disk only.

hmm.. makes sense as to why it wouldnt work. Thanks.

but would you have any ideas how i could fix my current problem?

To order Sony disk:
1.Go to http://servicesales.sel.sony.com.
2.Enter your computer's model number (for example, PCV-XXXX), and click List Parts and accessories.
3.Follow the online instructions to order the Recovery Media Kit.
If you are not able to access the Sony Direct Accessories and Parts Center Web site, contact a customer service representative at 1-800-488-7669.

Do have a mate with a Retail Windows 7 DVD?
If YES:
Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create

i very much appreciate all the help you have offered. i will try the above things and let you know how itgoes.

Thanks again,
Stephen.

Generous of you mariobell - not a good idea to post an email adress publicly, though.

Tips for clean reinstalling factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7