Technical > Computer Hardware Help > Can't restore Toshiba Laptop

Can't restore Toshiba Laptop

Main screen after boot from CD.

System Recovery Options.

Error given by Toshiba Recovery Wizard

These are the CDs I have.

That should be the recovery wiz as seen in second pic.

reply to batsona
Um.....

did you happen to upgrade the OS from the home version to the pro version or from 32 bit to 64 bit???
--
---Barney

There's a version of Vista on the HD, that I can't activate. My sister in law sent me the 'actual CDs' that came with her laptop, so I could install the proper OS, and not have activation be an issue.. but, I get the errors pictured...

reply to batsona
Boot from disc 1. It should be bootable directly without having to use the recovery manager.

I have seen that issue before specifically with Toshibas where the recovery software says the disc is incorrect though it is not. Not sure what the deal is. Seen it maybe 6 or 7 times in the last 7 or 8 years..

Worst case, get a different copy of VHB and use the license key on the system when it comes to activation. It will work. You could theoretically use install media from any system to reload Windows. The system does not know the difference unless you are booting into a proprietary recovery application.

Already tried installing Vista using another disk and using the Activation Code from the green Microsoft sticker. "Invalid code..."

I told the family member that I was having significant trouble, and needed to call Toshiba Tech Support on an unknown problem. She went out today, and bought a new laptop. I guess that's one way to solve it.

Machine is in my basement now. She'll collect the doorstop when she comes back into town in May 2012.

Try this:

1. When it first asks for you to select an option, select "System Recovery Options".

2. when it shows, "Choose a recovery tool", select "Command Prompt"

3. When the black window appears, enter: Q:

4. If that worked, enter: cd \base

5. If that worked, enter: OS

After this set of commands, it worked for me. I used this technique with an old Toshiba Satellite which had a version of Windows XP loaded. When my hard disk died, and I replaced it with a new, bigger one, I went thru these steps (recommended in some windows website, I forget where). It went into the backup/restore and reloaded all of the 3 CDs to the new hard disk.

CAVEAT: It may not work with newer Toshiba's having Vista or W7 installed.

HTH

reply to batsona
Also - is there the system recovery partition available at all?

How to restore your Toshiba laptop PC to its factory fresh software condition
--
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing - Edmund Burke

reply to batsona