Instructions for a Vista clean install on an FZ190

[ScuderiaConchiglia]

Ok, as promised I have completed my step by step instructions for how to do a clean install of Vista on an FZ190.

One important disclaimer: You use these instructions at your own risk! I make no warranty as to their completeness. These are gleaned from a chronicle of the steps I used. Your mileage may vary.

You need to make sure you have a good backup of all applications and or data before you start. I will answer questions about the process, however I will NOT answer questions about "I didn't make a backup but need to find out how to recover my...".

Fair enough? Here ya' go... (See attachments. Word or PDF format.)

Gary

P.S. You will need a REAL Vista DVD for this process. A retail DVD or even an Update DVD will suffice. NEWS FLASH UPDATE: See the P.P.P.P.P.P.S. below! You have EVERYTHING you need in front of you. No retail or update DVD is required! Thanks coolguy!

P.P.S. I have updated the documents to clarify some items in step 14. No REAL changes in the process, just clarification.

P.P.P.S. I have made a few more changes to the document. Again, nothing really substantive. Some clarifications and a link to instructions on how to manipulate partitions during the install process. Also some notes on how to move the Documents, Favorites and Pictures folders. I also made note of some of the items that were my personal preferences and were really optional in the clean install. (9/27/07)

P.P.P.P.S. elmerb posted a message with his notes on using the clean install instructions on a 180 version of the FZ. In his case it was an FZ18OE. He outlines the specific steps where he found differences. Thanks, elmerb!! (11/08/07) Here is the link:Clean install differences on an FZ180E

P.P.P.P.P.S. AbuTech posted a very helpful message for those of you with an FZ2 series machine. He was able to do a clean install using my document, but did find a few differences in the process which he duly noted! Thanks, AbuTech! (11/28/07) Here is a link to his message: FZ2 series differences.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. coolguy has found a way to take the hidden Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) directory on an FZ series machine and turn it into a bootable install DVD. The was succesful in doing a clean install using this process. Thanks, coolguy! (12/07/07) Here is the link to his message:Create an install DVD from the WAU directory

[Hartman]

That's a pretty good set of instructions. Should be able to apply that to any FZ model (with the appropriate drivers, of course).

[bibo_m16]

Originally Posted by ScuderiaConchiglia

Ok, as promised I have completed my step by step instructions for how to do a clean install of Vista on an FZ190.

One important disclaimer: You use these instructions at your own risk! I make no warranty as to their completeness. These are gleaned from a chronicle of the steps I used. Your mileage may vary.

You need to make sure you have a good backup of all applications and or data before you start. I will answer questions about the process, however I will NOT answer questions about "I didn't make a backup but need to find out how to recover my...".

Fair enough? Here ya' go... (See attachments. Word or PDF format.)

Gary

Did you use a retail version of Vista to do a clean install?

[ScuderiaConchiglia]

Originally Posted by bibo_m16

Did you use a retail version of Vista to do a clean install?

Yes.

Gary

[Aggie384]

So will this not work unless you have a retail version of Vista?

I got a copy of Vista Ultimate from my university for $20, but I am not sure if it will only upgrade from XP. On the disk it says "For upgrade use only." Will this work?

[Hartman]

Originally Posted by Aggie384

So will this not work unless you have a retail version of Vista?

I got a copy of Vista Ultimate from my university for $20, but I am not sure if it will only upgrade from XP. On the disk it says "For upgrade use only." Will this work?

I used a copy from my college, but we are a Microsoft test site so I believe it's the full verson.

However, do a Google search for Vista full install with upgrade disk. I believe there is a workaround available that allows you to do a full install with an upgrade disk.

[ScuderiaConchiglia]

Originally Posted by Aggie384

So will this not work unless you have a retail version of Vista?

I got a copy of Vista Ultimate from my university for $20, but I am not sure if it will only upgrade from XP. On the disk it says "For upgrade use only." Will this work?

The process I documented should work for ANY version that will do a full install, rather than an upgrade. As for the version you have, even though it is designed to be an "upgrade only". There are reports, even on Brian Livingston's site (a well read reporter on all things PC for MANY MANY years) on the workaround that Microsoft itself has "blessed" for doing a clean install from an upgrade disk. You should check on Brian's site or any number of others, but basically what you do is install from the DVD WITHOUT giving it any key. This installs a 30 trial version. Then with that 30 day trial version running, you pop in the DVD and do an upgrade. This time you provide it with the key from the DVD package. Voilà' a full blown system.

This process has been blessed by Microsoft as the way for folks who upgraded from XP to Vista and then latter need to reinstall Vista. Without the workaround the ONLY way would have been to go back to XP and then upgrade to Vista. They also recognize this process as being ok for folks with OEM copies of Vista who want to upgrade via a clean install. So for all us Sony owners this process is legal.

Now how does this affect my instructions? First, when you do the initial 30 trial version I would follow the steps I suggested about loading the SATA driver DURING the install. I would NOT apply any of the drivers or applications to the 30 trial, I'd wait until after the upgrade. But that's just my gut reaction. I think either way should work just fine.

If you take my suggestion and partition the hard drive before you start and set aside a portion of the drive for Ghost images, I'd make an image after the initial 30 day trial install, and another after you install the drivers (regardless of whether you install the drivers on the 30 day trail or wait until after the upgrade) and I'd take one after the upgrade (again regardless if you have installed the drivers or not).


Hope this helps!

Gary

[kranker]

I installed clean installed xp once on an HP computer. I was able to upload the files requires off the backup partition and load them onto the new formated drive. I can't remeber exactly how it was done or which files but it worked perfectly. I bet there is a way to do this with Vista. You already paid for it legally why buy another copy. I'll try and find the article and post it here.

[ScuderiaConchiglia]

Kranker,

Do see if you can find that article. But I think the recovery partition on the Vaio's might be an image copy. If so, there is little hope of pulling the install files from it. But let's see what the article suggest, it is sure worth a try!

Gary

[solidsnake4119]

wow this is really nice, too bad nobody made one like this for the Sony CR