Help! Need to Format! Big Problem!

[EXPEEUSER]

I’m running Windows XP on a Sony VAIO.

Here’s the problem: I want to format Drive C: and I’d like to do it like normal people do—you put in your recovery or boot disk and follow the instructions. But, I can’t. When I do (no matter which disk I put in) I get a message like the following example:
"E:\SONY\RESTORER.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose ‘Close’ to terminate the application."

Whatever my choice there, ‘Close’ or ‘ignore,’ I can’t do anything. I must be missing a System 32 file or something (I’m guessing). Why else would it not recognize my Application Recovery CD?

Can someone help me get this damn thing formatted, so I can reload all my apps again? I need to format to get rid of all the spyware and adware on my computer.

Thanks.

[nffc]

You don't need to format...

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;305521

As for the Adware, have you used Ad-Aware and Spybot?

[paulyoung666]

hi and to the site EXPEEUSER , why do you need to format ?????? , there may well be something less drastic that will help you out , as stated above have you tried something like adaware

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by EXPEEUSER

Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢m running Windows XP on a Sony VAIO.

Hereââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s the problem: I want to format Drive C: and Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢d like to do it like normal people doââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚ÂÂ�you put in your recovery or boot disk and follow the instructions. But, I canââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t. When I do (no matter which disk I put in) I get a message like the following example:
"E:\SONY\RESTORER.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose †˜Closeâà ¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€Š¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ to terminate the application."

Whatever my choice there, †˜Closeâà ¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€Š¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ or †˜ignore,âà ƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€à …¾Ã‚¢ I canââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t do anything. I must be missing a System 32 file or something (Iââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢m guessing). Why else would it not recognize my Application Recovery CD?

Can someone help me get this damn thing formatted, so I can reload all my apps again? I need to format to get rid of all the spyware and adware on my computer.

Thanks.

The Vaio that I used system restore CD's on required you to boot from them, i.e. making sure your first boot device in the BIOS is the CD Rom drive, making sure the disk is in, and turning it on/rebooting.

[EXPEEUSER]

Thanks for the suggestions to try ad-ware / spy ware virus removal programs, BUT, I've already tried those. They don't work. Not in this case. This situation on my computer is really BAD! And, of course I'd love to as you say, "use the system restore CD's and boot from them, making sure your first boot device in the BIOS is the CD Rom drive, making sure the disk is in, and turning it on/rebooting" BUT, that doesn't work! That's my whole point here. How can I re-format otherwise and restore all my stuff? (I've already backed up all the files I want to keep.) Is there a file I'm missing? Maybe in my zeal to rid myself of some spyware, I accidentally removed some good files as well? Anybody know what that message I keep getting means? Why won't it accept my CD-ROM book disk when I reboot?

[paulyoung666]

and you dont have a floppy drive either ????????? , is the hdd removable easily ???????? , i was just wondering what make of hdd it is

[DES_1001]

Just a quick question have you added another cd drive? cd/dvd rewriter? if you have and you are putting the restore disc in the second drive it will not let you restore from that drive! you need to restore from the master drive. Just a thaught.

I can't get why the restore application would try to load stuff from the 'C' drive, anyway, from a hidden partition, yes, but that wouldn't show as C:\windows\system32 , would it??? - is there an autoexec.nt file in that folder, have you tried having a look at it?

Otherwise if you have a burner you can download a boot disk image from

http://www.bootdisk.com/

- of course you don't get a 'proper' restore after formatting if your recovery disk still won't work, but you'd have a clean pc & Sony will presumably replace the recovery disk?

[rick]

I have a sony vaio and its just a case of popping the recovery disc and selecting the option you want

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by rick

I have a sony vaio and its just a case of popping the recovery disc and selecting the option you want

i think thats been covered and dont work

[EXPEEUSER]

Hey, I just tried nffc's original suggestion and it worked! Thanks to all for your ideas. Sorry about the panic attack! I get befuddled when my computer doesn't obey.

Originally Posted by EXPEEUSER

Hey, I just tried nffc's original suggestion and it worked! Thanks to all for your ideas. Sorry about the panic attack! I get befuddled when my computer doesn't obey.

thanks for letting is know - good call nffc