Clean install for AR51J (Vista Native)

[T_W]

Hello!

Hi everybody hope I will have a nice time at this forum, read a few posts and it seems like a friendly and helpful forum.

Now to my question, is there a way to make a clean install with the VGN-AR51J which runs on Vista Home Premium by default? Every guide I have read either goes through how to make a clean XP install or how to upgrade/downgrade from Vista to XP.

I would really appreciate an answer because I know this is a hot topic among the users I have had contact with.

I have all of the recovery disks already so I also intend to remove the recovery partition during the clean install of Vista.

If this already has been posted I apologise, I have tried searching for it anyways.

Thanks in advance - Karl

[dbiddle]

Hi,
Try this link
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=195197&page=3
If you havent deleted anything on your laptop look for the WUA folder and read the article above (Its hidden on the C drive i think)
You already have inside that folder a Vista setup disk (that just needs to be put onto DVD and made bootable) Ensure you backup the activation key which is all described in the above thread before you do anything.
I have a Vaio AR51M clean install and have chosen what sony utilities and drivers i want.
The only prob is WinDVD BD i cant get hold of.

[Thalamus.]

Hi guys,

another option you could consider..

Following this guide will not give you a 100% clean install, however it will reinstall the vista operating system, drivers, utilities and a couple of the pre installed applications, one of which is Win DVD DB...

Click Start, All Programs, then Vaio Recovery Center..

Click Continue on the User Account Control window

Once the Vaio Recovery Center window opens

Select Restore C: Drive then press Start..

then follow the recovery wizard..

On reboot click cancel on the message which pops up asking you if you want to finish the recovery process by installing the apps.

You should then be able to stop Vaio Application Recovery from starting if you go to start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Task Scheduler..

In task scheduler you should have three windows, Overview of Task Scheduler, then below this Task Status and finally at the bottom Active tasks..

In task scheduler go to the bottom section of the centre column (called active tasks)

Double click Vaio Application Recovery and on the right hand column, select either delete or disable..

[T_W]

Thank you both for your replies and links

As I take it you can either do a total clean install with only Vista and no drivers/programs or do a semi-clean install with vista,drivers,utils and a few preinstalled progs, correct?

Questions:

1) If I at the start make my recovery cd:s and start to fool around I can always restore my computer to the shape it was when I made the recovery cd's? Can you in anyway do a irreparable misstake that the recovery cd's can't "save" you from?

2) If I delete the recovery partition on the harddrive, and I use my recovery cd's, will they recover the partion and recreate it or is it lost forever if I delete it?

3) So there is no way to download or extract only WinDVD from the computer without having other programs/drivers/utils to come with that?

4) All other drivers/software can be manually downloaded from VAIO homepage or are there just upgrades and not complete versions of the program?

[Thalamus.]

1) If I at the start make my recovery cd:s and start to fool around I can always restore my computer to the shape it was when I made the recovery cd's? Can you in anyway do a irreparable misstake that the recovery cd's can't "save" you from?

Normally your recovery disc's can recovery your vaio the only exceptions are HDD or DVD drive failure, etc or your recovery media gets damaged or lost.

2) If I delete the recovery partition on the harddrive, and I use my recovery cd's, will they recover the partion and recreate it or is it lost forever if I delete it?

No your recovery disc's can not restore your hidden recovery partition.

If you remove the recovery partition be aware that if you have a CD/DVD drive problem or your recovery disc get lost or damaged, or your away from home and have forgotten the recovery disc's then you won't be able to use the recovery partition to restore your Vaio..

If you are sure you want to remove the recovery partition, make sure you create and TEST a couple recovery disc sets before you remove the recovery partition..

3) So there is no way to download or extract only WinDVD from the computer without having other programs/drivers/utils to come with that?

Not that I am aware of..

On the older models the application files were contained .PAC files on the recovery disc.

something called Kcap was useful then..

4) All other drivers/software can be manually downloaded from VAIO homepage or are there just upgrades and not complete versions of the program?

You can normally download the original Pre-installed Drivers and Utilities, however the pre-installed applications are not available. Only the application updates are available to download..

[T_W]

Thanks a lot I really appreciate it, just got a few questions to go:

1) Can't you just copy the entire folder which WinDVD resides in and copy any register keys and manually "install" it to a fresh computer?

2) Is there any list of pre-installed applications so I can see what I'll be missing if I do a clean install (which applications will be lost "forever" and which one can I download again from the homepage etc.)?

3) Does the "mediabuttons" still work or do you lose them, any other non-program feature/ability you might lose?

4) Is the recovery partition exactly the same as the recovery dvd's you burn - meaning you get all programs,drivers,utils etc. even WinDVD if you were to use that partition instead of the DVD's? The only reason you burn DVD's is to have a backup if the harddrive should fail? Or are there any other differences?

5) Is the system noticeably "smoother" or/and faster with a clean install then as it is with pre-installed software, do you "feel" or notice the difference?

[Thalamus.]

1) Can't you just copy the entire folder which WinDVD resides in and copy any register keys and manually "install" it to a fresh computer?

No I doubt that would work..

2) Is there any list of pre-installed applications so I can see what I'll be missing if I do a clean install (which applications will be lost "forever" and which one can I download again from the homepage etc.)?

Click Start, All Programs, then Vaio Recovery Center..

Click Continue on the User Account Control window

Once the Vaio Recovery Center window opens

Select Reinstall programs then press Start.

Click Next & Next again.

You should now see a list of applications, these would be the applications that you would loose if you followed my earlier guide HERE

3) Does the "mediabuttons" still work or do you lose them, any other non-program feature/ability you might lose?

If you followed my earlier guide HERE then yes the media buttons should still work.

4) Is the recovery partition exactly the same as the recovery dvd's you burn - meaning you get all programs,drivers,utils etc. even WinDVD if you were to use that partition instead of the DVD's?

Yes

The only reason you burn DVD's is to have a backup if the harddrive should fail?

Yes

Or are there any other differences?

Not that I am aware of.

[T_W]

Thanks a million Thalamus for answering all my questions

I would recommend this to be a sticky for all Vista people with Vaio notebooks out there.

[Thalamus.]

You're welcome T_W..