Formatting Without Installing Add On's

[Jonny_D_1987]

hey guys, just got a lovely vaio yesterday and love it 😄 but i am not happy with all this useless software they have installed 😞 so i am trying to format without installing any of this..... how can i preform a clean install without installing any of this useless software, and only install xp?

thanxs alot guys

jonathan daly

😄

[Thalamus.]

Wont the Recovery Tool just install Vista again though? Instead of XP?

yes the recovery tool will only install the pre-installed operating system, it does not allow you to change from Vista to XP..

[Speedy100]

Hey Thalamus,

Question. When the above is carried out (Re-installation without the App. recovery) What is the easiest way to recover individual applications from the App Recovery Disc. I have tried the aforementioned method of using kcap.exe, but I don't seem to have any luck with it. Any advice would be great. Thanks.

By the way, I am using a Vaio CR, with Windows Vista Business Edition.

[Thalamus.]

I have tried the aforementioned method of using kcap.exe 

Hi Speedy100,

welcome to Club Vaio..

Kcap is the only way that I'm aware of..

[Channi3]

Hi, my Laptop (VGN-C1Z), has been taking quite a long time in starting up, so i've decided to re-format the drive to take away its useless applications

So when i've done with installing the operating system, and skipping the application CD. Do i have to download the original driver and utilities from the sony website.

http://support.vaio.sony.co.uk/downloads/updates/updates.asp?site=voe_en_GB_cons&m=2409

Just another thing, can i just do a C: Drive Recovery? So i could put all my backup on my other partition. Will doing this recovery be any different to doing the full recovery?

[DYL]

I really wanted to re-install Vista on my FZ11S due to the amount of unwanted pre-installed stuff and having nearly 80 running processers.

I have followed the steps explaining how to clean install upto step 10 and then disabled VARU.
Unfortunately on this clean install I still have things like Norton, Adobe 8 Reader, Microsoft Works, etc, preinstalled.
Is it possible to just recover to Vista as it would be installed if I had the Vista disk?
I really want a basic install so the system runs as well as possible.

Thanks

[Blencogo]

Hi DYL and welcome.

Unfortunately this only works with XP. I don't think it is possible with Vista - the only way is to uninstall what you don't want.

[mikey2424]

Hi all

I have a Vaio FZ-21Z and would like to do a clean install.

I choose the Erase All Data option in the recovery centre, can I then recover the entire system via the recovery discs I've created?

I've heard of a couple of people having problems, getting messages telling them that the system must be recovered via the hard drive when trying to recover via discs at startup.

I'd rather not have the trouble of sending it away if I get the same. Was this a known problem that has now been resolved, provided of course I've installed any Vaio Updates?

I want to do a clean install akin to formatting the hard drive via DOS but it's a little more worrying that just recovering c drive, which is the one I tried before.

Also, do I need to do a proper format to get the laptop running to it's optimum capacity or is just doing a recovery of c drive enough if I then get rid of all the bloatware by uninstalling programs in the control panel?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[Thalamus.]

Hi mikey2424 ,

welcome to Club Vaio..

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..

[@5528097000005097]

Good Thread! I've reinstall XP about 8 times now and it takes ages to get rid of all those unwanted trials etc.
I now know what to do next time, thanks Thalamus & co.

[Thalamus.]

I now know what to do next time, thanks Thalamus & co. 

You're welcome Redstring..