DavidOn and taras_m, Thanks for your replies.
The RMPrepUSB solution was not allowing the SanDisk to show up as “Removeable” for the SONY VAIO software. So even if RMPrep could have allowed me to create a bootable drive, maybe VAIO Care created an additional level of complexity. I called SONY support and asked about deleting all SONY Software from the machine and running clean Windows, but the support person said that the driver support might not be there on the recovery disk that I created with clean Windows. It sounded like more complexity and time.
Although I have no formal training in computers, I used to manage 14 computers at a law library. And I had them highly optimized for efficiency that they rean beautifully. I cut out all the Windows and IE ■■■■, and the machines flew as fast as they could for 2004 era machines. (IE was the program we had to use for compatibility for certain legal software). I used Deep Freeze so nobody could alter the config. (Unless I did when installing updates). Now if I were still managing those computers, I probably would have been up enough on how to do this kind of thing that I would have been able to do the RMPrepUSB fix, or, since I was getting paid for it, I would have devoted the time and concentration necessary to do it. But not being a professional, and not getting paid for this, and having another job et cetera, I just didn’t have the time or concentration.
So David, since you and not SanDisk flagged this as the solution, I’ll hazard a guess that for a professional, it is a solution, and maybe if you are running clean Windows, it is a solution. Also, I’ll state that it is quite disappointing that apparently SanDisk hasn’t done much at all to try to help people utilize this entire production line of USB drives. Or least they should issue a warning displayed at Staples, and brief the Staples tech people (those guys in the black and green shirts) that the line of SanDisk drives they are now unloading at discounted prices cannot be used to create recovery disks in Windows 8 without additional work.
Luckily, I found a sympathetic manager at Staples, who allowed me to exchange the openned SanDisk drives for a Kingston 32 GB. I inspected the package, and it said it works with Windows 8, but there was no “Windows 8 Certified” symbol. I also did an online chat with Kingston support before I openned the packaging to make sure the drive would show up as “Removable”. It was the “Data Traveler” line of Kingston, and I am not sure if it was “G2” or not, but it looks the same as G2. I had to leave on travel the next day so things were hectic. The Kingston drive showed up as “removeable” so that the SONY VAIO utility software could “see” it and create a recovery disk.
For people who may be reading this, if you buy a Kingston USB drive, as long as it only has the “Works with Windows 8” box checked, and doesn’t say “Windows 8 Certified” and does not have the Windows 8 symbol, you should be okay- the drive should show up as “Removable Disk”.
