Bought New TT198U, need clean install of Vista Ultimate

I just bought a new Sony Vaio TT198/U . . . the one with 256GB SSD, 4GB RAM, etc.

Thus far I am woefully unimpressed and unhappy with it.

This thing is so overloaded with crapware / bloatware that it makes my head spin even thinking about it. On booting, I get a whopping 98 processes as observed in Task Manager! No doubt there are more hiding around every corner.

Ridiculous!

I tried a few methods to cleanly install Vista, but none seem to get me where I want to be in terms of full function free of crapware and other annoying 'features'.

I spent three hours chatting with Sony technical support and got nothing but a broken record suggesting I go out and buy a retail copy of Vista and install from that disk. Asinine and insulting, this.

I tried the re-install method wherein recovery disks are used and the process is halted at a point before crapware gets installed. The downside seems to be that meaningful items get neglected or insufficiently installed.

I also tried a couple other installs using varied techniques.

Nothing has got me to a clean Vista install with all expected features operative.

1. Have you used any better Vista re-install that does not require buying a Vista retail disk? If so, please send along any details that may assist.

2. Has anyone looked in to suing Sony, et al, to move them to get customers to opt-in rather than opt-out (through Fresh Start on factory orders) of getting crapware on a new machine? There may be a way to bring about enough downside for them that they, and others, cease or at least minimize this annoying practice. I'd be hapy to fund the initial stages of such a proceeding.

Thanks.

A6

 

Did I read that right? 256gb SSD?! Is it the fabled Samsung one?

1. I'm pretty I saw a tutorial on how to use the recovery image provided with the laptop to create a clean install...

2.Why would anybody do that? Most people don't realize that their computer is slow because of the bloatware that comes with it. And last time I want to best buy their was no mention to remove the bloat before buying so I think they kept that option on their website...

 

To get a clean copy of Vista, the recovery disc gives a choice if you want to install the Sony valued added software, all you need to do is to chose no and you will have a very basic Vista with vaio control center and nothing else. This is new with TT. Give it a try.

BTW, it first ask if you want to install the vaio recovery software into it's partition (which will be hidden). You can answer yes or no. Then it ask if you want to install sony calued added software, and that is when you must answer no.

 

Hold on to your horses, it's two 128GB Samsung MLC in RAID 0 configuration, not the newly released 256GB from Samsung

 

TZ300 - When/Where is this option to which you refer?

I have tried what appears to be every possible way to re-install and I have not once seen such a welcome option . . . to install Vista without so-called "value added" software.

That would make things so much easier.

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Ayle - Sadly, it is not a single-unit 256 GB setup, it's two 128 GB drive-on-a-board's (not 2.5" by 9mm format) in a RAID 0.

I'd love to have two of Samsung 256's in a RAID 0.

Soon, we can hope!

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Thanks for the replies, folks. Much appreciated.

 

Follow the Z clean install thread and modify with TT driver and utilities download page from Sony

 

Assuming you have made the recovery discs properly, i.e, turn off wireless swith, disconnect everything except the ac, close all opened applications.

Put recovery discs in, and reboot.
Press F2 to go into Bios
I think it is under setup, choose default bios (the last drop down item on the right.

After it boots
Choose complete system recovery.
Choose option to partition your drive.
(I chose 40 GB for C drive and the rest is auto calculated)
Choose option to install recovery center into c: drive.
Choose option to install system without sony's software.

I am doing it from my memory. If you still cannot do it, let me know, and I look into the exact procedure.

(If you are not sure if you had made the recovery disc properly, I suggest doing a new set.)

 

Maybe it is different with the TT but i did a reinstall today on my SZ using my recovery discs and i ran the no value added software option. What a joke that was as it still installed what looked like just as much junk as before.

 

I just finished reinstalling my TT, clean install. Here is what I did:

1. After it boots, I chose to reinstall complete system.
2. Answer "no" to question on keeping factory default C drive. It will give you a choice to partition the drive. I chose 40 GB for c drive.
3. Answer "no" to question on keeping factory default programs on C
It goes on to install windows, and reboots. Then a screen comes up saying that it has finished with installing windows, and will procede to install programs. I hit "cancel" This stops it from installing any of the sony's programs and drivers.

It will reboot and configures windows. After that I checked that I have 64 processes running. No Sony programs except Vaio control center which I need anyway.

At this point I put recovery disc 1 back in, and choose to install drivers and programs. I pick all of the drivers, and some programs for HD sound, adobe, etc. Choose do not restart when asked untill all has been installed.

Reboot, and I have 54 processes. Don't know what happened to make it less processes.

The only thing I am missing now is the driver for the wireless. Device manager says Network Controller has no driver.

So, I have a very clean system now on c: , but it wiped out some of my data on d: (not much data there ).

If you can tell me from your device list what equipment is the wireless, then I can choose the driver.

Edit: I did it again the second time, since I missed the wireless function. It went the same way. I used disc1 to load all the drivers (except sata raid), and some programs that I need. There is a second page that I did not scroll down the first time, and there is the wireless program. So, it all works, and I ended up with 63 processes. I think it will likely go up to 70, depending what other programs I will install.

 

Are you using Start Vaio Recovery or Repair Windows Vista?

 

Nevermind . . . I got it.

Select Sony Recovery Center, restore complete system and then the option to get rid of Sony's crapware.

Thanks much, I'm going through the process right now!

 

Why don't you make life easier for yourself? Just buy the clean install disk from Portable One.

 

Oddly, I have this nasty streak that prevents me from paying twice for the same Vista installation.

Sony suggested the same thing, or at least something similar. They wanted me to buy a retail version of Vista.

Why buy two Vista licenses?

Nonetheless, I checked out Portable One and did not find anything other than Vista retail packages. Is there something else to which you refer?

 

You only need to get hold of a physical Vista DVD (or download an image from somewhere and burn it yourself). Then just use the license key on the bottom of your TT... I'm not sure there are legal channels to get hold of a Vista DVD but you could legitimately borrow one as you're going to be installing with your own license key, of course.

 

Interesting . . . so the install disk is not aligned with a specific key but rather a key can work with (or activate) any disk?

If I'd known that, long ago I would have downloaded a torrent of Vista and been on my way.