[Seth]

I suspect that either a third party program is preventing the "next" from highlighting, or it is errors on the hard drive (In which case you would run hard drive error checking).

Let's address the first possibility. Try to run the recovery from Safe Mode. To access Safe Mode, keep tapping F8 as soon as you turn on the computer. A menu will appear in which you use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode, then press Enter.

[Seth]

Continued from above:

If that doesn't work, go to Start>Run, type in chkdsk /f (space between the K and /), then click ok. At the black screen that appears, press "Y" and restart the computer. Windows will start to load, then you should see the hard drive error correction initiate. Once it's complete, Window's will restart. Now try the recovery.

[Mara]

Thanks ever so much, Seth - shall write out the instructions and try it first thing in the morning (it's getting a bit late here and my mind is turning to mush - gentle smile).

So wonderful of you to help, especially since just minutes ago my AVG threw up a warning that it found 2 more Trojans - and when I clicked on 'remove threat', another window arrived saying it couldn't. (Literally have not been anywhere on the internet except right here for past two days and I know that I haven't picked up a Trojan here - just convinces me even more than my poor computer is in serious difficulty).

It's exciting to know that as early as tomorrow the poor magic box may be working wonderfully again - thank you, thank you!

[RandyL]

Mara there is every reason to believe your system is still infected. AVG Free is not good enough for protection and even worse on removal of Trojans. If you want you can follow our complete guide on Malware removal.

[RandyL]

Your model can be found by inputting VGC-RB52 Use option 2 in support.

Since your system is so corrupted you may need to use the disks to reinstall before you boot into Windows. Open the PDF file. Now save it to disk for safe keeping.

Scroll down and look at
To perform a complete hard disk drive recovery
To recover drive C

Print that or or print the entire pdf file so you can follow the instructions.
I think the first option will be your best bet.

[Mara]

Thanks for mentioning the security programs, Seth - I've got AVG, WinPatrol, MalwareBytes, SuperAntispyware (all in zip form and pre-scanned for bugs) placed in one of those little hard-drives, ready to go when my computer put back as good as new...and shall remember to activate all of them prior to heading to the internet to download latest version of FireFox, etc.

Have all your instructions written out and will start doing them in just a moment, so thanks again!

And RandyL, thank you so very much for your great help!! The computer kept throwing up a pesky wee window from Acrobat Plug-In saying "This operation is not allowed" when I got back to the VAIO site - but it finally worked and I wrote out everything step by step.

Now I'm all set! Thank you, thank you and, although I'm not a religious persons, I think of each of you with your immense kindness and patience as 'little angels walking this earth' - gentle smile.

[Mara]

It worked, it worked!! Huge happy smile! (Had to use the F10 way but it worked!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

[RandyL]

Hi Mara;
For the benefit of other members can you please explain what reinstall method worked for you?

I assume the reinstall was from the hard drive and not the disks since you mentioned F10 but I'm not sure.

We really would like to know too since we may encounter this problem again. Thanks.

[Mara]

I know that if I hadn't had the wonderful help here, my poor computer would have been doomed - truly! (Towards the end, just before the 'Recovery process' I couldn't even return to the VAIO site to double-check I'd written instructions off correctly for using the 8 discs, simply because the 'Windows Explorer window closed everything nearly instantly!).

I apologize for such a quick 'Yipee!!' note last night and below is the steps followed:

1. Turn off your computer (not Restart, but actually off, using 'Start>-Turn off Computer' ... using 'Restart' didn't work for me when doing the below)

2. Restart your computer (perhaps wait 3 minutes first as when I didn't, I didn't have any success with the below).

3. The instant the VAIO logo appears on the computer's screen, briefly press the F10 key on computer keyboard. (And, if this doesn't work the first time, don't panic - gentle smile - just repeat above steps and this time hit the F10 key hard and often while the VAIO logo is on screen!).

4. The VAIO Recovery Wizard will appear on screen ... with a warning about loosing everything within one's computer if you continue...

5. Click "I understand" (in my case, this is the first time to see this section - which would explain why the 'next' key would never highlight for me before using this above method).

6. Click "Next"

For those that have never done this before, the total 'Recovery of C: Drive', don't worry when the screen goes totally black on occassion - it will come back showing which stage it's working on (there are 4 steps it goes through) - and it took about an hour from start to the 'Welcome to Windows' arriving on the screen.

And although the Task Bar may start shooting up 'Balloons' asking for updates, etc, I totally ignored them. Figured there would be time enough later to do that and didn't want to risk any action while the process was being done - eep!

7. Create a 'Restore Point' now, while computer is lovely and clean! (Thanks for the reminder DSTM!).

8. Transfer the 'zipped' Antivirus and AntiMalware software from disc or 'mini hard drive' into your computer - and install.

9. Use Start>Restart Computer. While it's shutting down, Microsoft Windows will start updating your computer automatically and then restart.

10. Now, update both Antivirus and AntiMalware programs!

I'm sure the remainder of the steps involved with reconnecting with the internet and Importing one's bookmarks and email address book, etc, is covered elsewhere within the site, but do have a couple wee hints:

a) Before starting the Recovery process of C: Drive, don't just either burn all your important files to CD or transfer onto a mini-harddrive, double check that everything you can't 'live without' has actually survived the transfer!

For instance, it was only after the process and when transferring that I realized I'd made an error somewhere along the way. Used FireFox Browser but when 'Exporting' Bookmarks and saving file, I didn't realize it only saved my really old ones from Netscape which had transferred into FireFox bookmarks when I switch computers.

And worse, my own 'Personal' file from documents didn't transfer! Darn!

b) Never ever start the process of backing everything up to disc or mini-harddrive when you're tired or distracted! Never! Was so so so sure I had everything but alas, completely forgot all my music and video files - eep!

Today will be spent downloading and installing all my favourite programs but again, without all the help here, I would have been 'doomed' - gentle smile.

My sincere thanks and gentle hugs to all who were so wonderful to help me!

[RandyL]

Thankyou for your very detailed reply Mara. I'm sure it will benefit others.

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