Hi, when I insert my system recovery cd for my sony vaio, and it reaches the blue screen, i get an error. The error says this: cannot normally execute the initial setting of partition information. This utility exits and your computer is rebooted.
Any ideas on what the problem is or what to do? Thank you.

I suspect you have a bad hard drive. Otherwise the hidden partition has defective software on it. You might try a full low level format, then run the recovery disc again.

i think the VAIOS work in the same way as the new Lenovos. on those ones the "recovery cd" is in fact not a recovery cd but a program that ghosts a new xp onto your HDD using a system image from a hidden partition

It is likely the reason it failed is that this partition or the MBR is damaged