Unable to proceed OS installation on new hard disk

Hello All

My SONY VAIO VPCEB15FX laptop has been getting the S.M.A.R.T failures. I checked with SONY and since my laptop is more than 12 months old - could not get them to help me with this issue without paying (laptop started having issues exactly after 15 months- not so good for a branded laptop). So i thought i will try to handle this myself, created the recovery discs, repair disk and backed up all the data in 15 DVDs. I bought a WD Scorpio Blue hard drive (WD5000BPVT - Advanced Format Drive) and replaced the same in my laptop and started off with the recovery discs. I chose to restore complete system and it proceeded. Once it completed the process - the system restarted and the OS Setup began - now comes the issue. When the setup started it throws this error "Windows setup could not configure Windows to run on this computer's Hardware"

I ordered the SONY recovery discs - repeated the above RESTORE process - but still facing the same error

Try running the Sony Hardware Diagostics:
View Document

I'm just wondering if the Sony recovery discs are tied to the original hard drive in some way.

If that is the case have you considered carrying out a clean install of Windows?

You can download the required ISO here: Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links) « My Digital Life

You'll need to burn the ISO to a blank disc and use the product key on your Sony's COA sticker to activate it and the download needs to be the same as the version originally installed on your Sony.

Clean Install : Factory COA Activation Key

If you're short of any drivers they can be downloaded using Sony Support.

Thanks for your immediate response theog !!! I am running the diagnostics as we speak ... I will update with results. Am running a QUICK TEST fyi

Seavixen32

Yes, i too have this doubt. But unfortunately i could not get the same hard drive now - which is an issue
I wanted to try the Clean Install ... Now after creating an ISO image disk after downloading - what should my first step - to activate it ? How do i use that ISO disk for installing?

Theog

Results of the SONY DIAGNOSTICS

"No Errors detected on this VAIO computer"

seavixen32 said:

If that is the case have you considered carrying out a clean install of Windows?

You can download the required ISO here: Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links) « My Digital Life

You'll need to burn the ISO to a blank disc and use the product key on your Sony's COA sticker to activate it and the download needs to be the same as the version originally installed on your Sony.

Is downloading this ISO from the provided link free and legal? Why are they not available in Windows site?

pardon me, if its a stupid question

This ISO is free and legal and works fine providing you have a genuine product key to activate the software.

You can use your OEM product key providing you download the same version that is installed on your computer.

Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO from Digital River « My Digital Life

The ISO needs to be burned to a blank disc, which you then boot into to reinstall Windows.

ImgBurn is ideally suited for this task: http://www.imgburn.com/

The error you are getting is for when you are installing pre-SP1 Win7 (as are likely your Recovery disks) to a new HD with an Intel chipset. It is explained here with steps to resolve it during recovery: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2466753

Perhaps easiest is to do the Clean Reinstall which is a superior install anyway without the bloatware and useless factory utilities which have better versions built into Win7. SeaVixen linked you to official WIn7 installer ISO with Service Pack 1 which should resolve the issues.

Here are steps to get a perfect clean reinstall of factory OEM: Clean Reinstall Windows 7 Factory OEM

Let us know if you have any problems.

Thanks for your valuable inputs seavixen and gregrocker .... I will start working on the suggestions you gave me ...

I also have this doubt - what if the AF is causing the issue? this AF was a sudden leap - and what if all the laptops which were earlier using a non-AF HDD are not finding the AF HDD non-compatible .... this has been bothering me since i saw the AF on the HDD