Perform System Recovery Using VAIO Care Rescue Mode

Watch the video tutorial or follow the steps below to perform a System Recovery on your computer from outside the Microsoft® Windows® operating system using VAIO Care Rescue Mode.

1. Press and hold the power button until your computer turns off.
   • Your computer must be completely powered off before you continue this procedure.
2. On the keyboard, press the ASSIST button.

   

   • The location of the ASSIST button depends on the model of your computer. Refer to the manual for model-specific information.
   • The VAIOCare | Rescue Mode screen starts and shows the following options:

     

     • Recover or maintain your System [F10]: Perform a system recovery and return your computer back to factory condition.
     • Start from media (USB device/optical disc) [F11]: Start your computer from a CD/DVD disc or USB device.
     • Start from network [F12]: Start your computer from a network drive.
     • Start BIOS [F2]: Allows you to enter and make modifications to the BIOS.
     • Shut down [F4]: Shuts down your computer.
     • Start Windows [Esc]: Starts your computer in Windows normally.
     • Select language [F1]: Allows you to select a different language.
3. On your keyboard, press the F10 key to select the Recover or maintain your System [F10] option.
4. Choose your preferred keyboard layout.
5. At the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

   

6. At the Troubleshoot screen, select Recover and Maintenance.

   

7. At the Recovery Tool screen, select Windows 8.
8. In the VAIO Care (Rescue Mode) screen, click on Start recovery wizard.

   

9. At the Do you need to rescue your data screen, select Yes, I'd like to start rescue now.
   • If you don't have any data on your computer that you need to back up, select Skip rescue and proceed to step 15.
10. Connect an external storage device such as a USB hard drive or thumb drive to your computer's USB port.
11. At the Select rescue type window, select Easy rescue.
    • If you want to manually select the files to back up, select Custom rescue and follow the on-screen directions.
12. Select the drive you want to use to back up your data and click on the Next button.
    • This screen displays the disc space required and the amount of free space on your external storage device.
13. In the Confirm options and start rescue window, click the Start Rescue button.
    • A progress window displays the status of the backup.
14. At the Rescue has completed successfully window, click the Next button.
15. At the Are you sure you want to start recovery? window, click to select Yes, I'm sure and then click the Start Recovery button.
    • A status window displays the progress of the different applications. At this point, no additional action is required until the Recovery complete notification appears.
    • This process may take up to two hours and your computer may restart several times.
16. At the Recovery complete window, click the Restart button.
17. After your computer restarts, follow the on-screen instructions to set up the operating system and complete the system recovery.