Reinstall windows without all the crap (sony vaio FE550G)

[311]

I am pretty sure not many vaio's if any come with copy of windows to reformat without all the crap preinstalled on these laptops. Anyone know how it can be done? Do I just need a copy of windows? Or do i even need that? I don't have a copy of windows right now but I am sick of all the crap on here and I'm having a hard time removing all the stuff completely. Anyone point me in the right direction?

[jakepratt]

Normally, a clean install is best, however, I have had good luck stopping the restore process halfway.

On a S series I purchased for my parents a few weeks ago, I went though the restore process but when windows booted the first time, I did not insert the final disks (with the junk on them). Instead, I used msconfig to shut off the startup processes that run the extras and then using sysprep to mark the install complete. I am not sure what the command was...but it was the last button on the sysprep screen

When complete, I ended up with the sony drivers/uilities but no extras (anti-virus, trials aol etc). I almost considered doing this on my new SZ160 but decided to go the clean install route.

[DaCheese]

I think you can actually deinstall all thos programs through the Vaio support thing, I think.

I did a complete reinstall and didn't insert the 2nd DVD ROM when it asked for it, but then was able to choose which programs to install and which not to install.

[311]

where can i find info on how to burn the dvd's to try this?

[DaCheese]

You start "Vaio Support Central" then select the "Backup and Restore" tab on the left. Click "Vaio recovery" in the main window and the first option in the new window that pops up should be the one to create recovery disks.

[MikeT]

I bought one recently and decided to install a fresh copy of Windows XP Professional. I was forced to do this cause the XP Pro product key from MSDN refused to support an upgrade. In any case Media Center on a laptop was a stupid idea for sony, i hated it and had to go. Here's a few things you need to look out for:

1) While my laptop is functioning fine. Sony doesn't have all the necessary device drivers on their support site. The last update was on 2/14 for the serial ATA driver which still refuses to install correctly. BTW, I did get a response back from them too: they won't support XP pro on this laptop.

2) If you just want to remove the factory installed applications, you don't need to go through the pain i did. Just remove them. But if you want XP Pro, then i recommend an "upgrade" versus a new install.

3) I'm not sure whether #1 is problem, but i can't get the system to hibernate or suspend anymore since the upgrade.

4) The standard ALPS touchpad driver is missing from their support site.

5) Their PC Cardbus driver is also missing from trhe support site.