Travel Technology - Vaio SZ: Make your own clean Vista installation disk

If you bought a Sony VAIO SZ that came loaded with Vista, you did not get installation disks. Your only option for re-installation of Vista was to do it from the hard disk restore partition, which would put it back to "factory" condition, i.e. with all the crapware loaded. Removing the crapware is difficult and time-consuming -- some of it is buried so deep in the machine that it is almost impossible to dig out. Worse than the crapware, it's not possible to repair Vista OEM without an actual Vista installation disk -- your only option if Vista gets too damaged is restore-to-factory-condition.

Well, there is now a solution to this problem. I came across this site:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=185737

It gives complete instructions for creating a clean Vista install disk with all of the necessary SZ drivers. I tried it last night, and it works. It took a few hours to do, including all the downloads, but I wound up with a clean Vista installation disk with SZ drivers. This will work with any version of Vista.

Obviously, you still have to have a valid key (your OEM key will work) and activate through Microsoft. This is not pirated software, but merely a way for owners of OEM licenses to create install disks that were not provided with their computers.

Enjoy!

I recently did something similar when I wanted to de-crap my Dell desktop (Dimension E521) and simultaneously move to x64 Vista.

* Download clean Vista retail install DVD from your bittorrent site of choice
* Install using existing valid OEM key (the keys are valid for both x86 and x64 versions of whichever version of Vista you have)

With desktops it's easier, since they usually don't have unusual hardware like laptops do.

I recently did something similar when I wanted to de-crap my Dell desktop (Dimension E521) and simultaneously move to x64 Vista.

* Download clean Vista retail install DVD from your bittorrent site of choice
* Install using existing valid OEM key (the keys are valid for both x86 and x64 versions of whichever version of Vista you have)

With desktops it's easier, since they usually don't have unusual hardware like laptops do.I strongly advise against installing from a bittorrent image -- there is simply too much danger of picking up viruses and malware, not to mention that there's no assurance that what you get is a release package, as opposed to one of the betas and RCs. Microsoft has leaked the download links for Vista retail -- of course, you still need a valid key, but you can get the software straight from the horse's mouth. If you look at the first step in the link I posted above, you'll see the links to the Vista download from Microsoft.

I like my SZ much better since I wiped Vista and installed Leopard.

I strongly advise against installing from a bittorrent image -- there is simply too much danger of picking up viruses and malware, not to mention that there's no assurance that what you get is a release package, as opposed to one of the betas and RCs. Microsoft has leaked the download links for Vista retail -- of course, you still need a valid key, but you can get the software straight from the horse's mouth. If you look at the first step in the link I posted above, you'll see the links to the Vista download from Microsoft.

That's the beauty of Pirate Bay - peer reviewed, in a manner of speaking. :)

If you bought a Sony VAIO SZ that came loaded with Vista, you did not get installation disks. Your only option for re-installation of Vista was to do it from the hard disk restore partition, which would put it back to "factory" condition, i.e. with all the crapware loaded. Removing the crapware is difficult and time-consuming -- some of it is buried so deep in the machine that it is almost impossible to dig out. Worse than the crapware, it's not possible to repair Vista OEM without an actual Vista installation disk -- your only option if Vista gets too damaged is restore-to-factory-condition.

Well, there is now a solution to this problem. I came across this site:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=185737

It gives complete instructions for creating a clean Vista install disk with all of the necessary SZ drivers. I tried it last night, and it works. It took a few hours to do, including all the downloads, but I wound up with a clean Vista installation disk with SZ drivers. This will work with any version of Vista.

Obviously, you still have to have a valid key (your OEM key will work) and activate through Microsoft. This is not pirated software, but merely a way for owners of OEM licenses to create install disks that were not provided with their computers.

Enjoy!


Actually for about $18 you can buy a set of restore discs [drivers, OS, and apps software] for your specific SZ model from the Sony Store:

Sony Parts Store (http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ecom/accessories/web/index.jsp)

I recently did something similar when I wanted to de-crap my Dell desktop (Dimension E521) and simultaneously move to x64 Vista.

* Download clean Vista retail install DVD from your bittorrent site of choice
* Install using existing valid OEM key (the keys are valid for both x86 and x64 versions of whichever version of Vista you have)

With desktops it's easier, since they usually don't have unusual hardware like laptops do.

Strange. :confused: All 3 of my Dells came with the reinstallation (not recovery) CD's or DVD's. (2 XP and 1 Vista HP).

Strange. :confused: All 3 of my Dells came with the reinstallation (not recovery) CD's or DVD's. (2 XP and 1 Vista HP).

Yeah, but I didn't want those for two reasons:

1) All the Dell crapware that's on those discs
2) I wanted Vista x64, not x86.

Yeah, but I didn't want those for two reasons:

1) All the Dell crapware that's on those discs
2) I wanted Vista x64, not x86.

#1 is wrong. I said they are reinstallation discs for the Operating system. The Dell crap is on another CD along with drivers.

Actually for about $18 you can buy a set of restore discs [drivers, OS, and apps software] for your specific SZ model from the Sony Store:

Sony Parts Store (http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ecom/accessories/web/index.jsp)The restore disks sold by Sony are not installation disks -- they'll put it back to factory condition, with crapware, and can't be used to repair an installation.

The restore disks sold by Sony are not installation disks -- they'll put it back to factory condition, with crapware, and can't be used to repair an installation.

Yes, they do indeed come with the original crapware - which sucks - but they also install the drivers in the proper order which is a real issue for the SZ.

I guess I would just be a little nervous about using those ISOs and the serious potential for installing a bunch of nasty shite on my computer.

Yes, they do indeed come with the original crapware - which sucks - but they also install the drivers in the proper order which is a real issue for the SZ.

I guess I would just be a little nervous about using those ISOs and the serious potential for installing a bunch of nasty shite on my computer.They're not ISOs. The software that creates the installation disk is a direct download from Microsoft. The non-microsoft software is solely for ISO creation -- you can use anything you want. The only necessary non-Microsoft software is vlite. If you read the link in my original post, you'll see the instructions for installing the drivers in the proper order.

I'm confused. The first thing I did with my SZ was to remove all the crap, install all of the programs I wanted, then used the Vista backup feature to create a restore image for the hard drive at that point in time.

I'm confused. The first thing I did with my SZ was to remove all the crap, install all of the programs I wanted, then used the Vista backup feature to create a restore image for the hard drive at that point in time.That's a restore image, and not the same as a clean install disk. With clean install disks, you can repair Vista if individual files get corrupted. You can't do that with a backup restore -- it will just take you back in time to the point where you made the restore.

I have, conservatively, 40 or 50 programs installed on my laptop. I don't want to have re-install all of them if something goes awry in Vista (and it has in the past).

I have, conservatively, 40 or 50 programs installed on my laptop. I don't want to have re-install all of them if something goes awry in Vista (and it has in the past).

I always reinstall all of those programs because I want them to be clean too. I only backup the data. How do you avoid reinstalling those programs without a restore disk (whether self-made or one that came with it)?

I always reinstall all of those programs because I want them to be clean too. I only backup the data. How do you avoid reinstalling those programs without a restore disk (whether self-made or one that came with it)?I don't. That's why I'm excited about being able make my own install disk. There are many times when Vista will mess up and I don't have time to spend a couple of days doing a from-scratch re-install. Most times, I can use system restore to put the computer back to an earlier point, but I do lose data, notwithstanding what Microsoft says about system restore. With true installation disks, I can repair without losing data or having to reinstall from scratch.

I don't. That's why I'm excited about being able make my own install disk. There are many times when Vista will mess up and I don't have time to spend a couple of days doing a from-scratch re-install. Most times, I can use system restore to put the computer back to an earlier point, but I do lose data, notwithstanding what Microsoft says about system restore. With true installation disks, I can repair without losing data or having to reinstall from scratch.

Now I get it. You use the repair option. I've done that too.

I've re-installed XP multiple times, but with Vista I am waiting to see if performance degrades. I want to know if MS improved that or not.

Hi, did you manage to put the Vaio internal lcd working with Leopard?

Thnxs,
Nuno Cardoso.

I like my SZ much better since I wiped Vista and installed Leopard.

Hi, did you manage to put the Vaio internal lcd working with Leopard?

Thnxs,
Nuno Cardoso.