Format Hard Drive

What is the easiest way to format the hard drive (delete the partition), delete the sony recovery partition, create my own, and then reinstall windows? is it possible to do this without the factory settings (all the crap preinstalled)? I have a sony vaio fs 660/w if it matters. Thanks!

 

If you want to install a clean version of Windows, you need the CDs. What came with your machine are probably restore CDs, which will most likely put that partition back in place. To better manage your partitions, you need something like this, though if you start with full windows disks, you can create a partition when you do the install.

http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

 

Yes, it is possible to do a clean install without any Sony stuff and you pretty much sum it up very nicely already. You will need a Windows XP installation CD (or whatever OS you want) to do clean install and you cannot use the Sony Recovery Kit. Sony Support has a good tutorial on how to do clean install. Just search "Windows Clean Install"

 

i don't have another XP cd, is there another way to do it? this computer has xp home on it, why don't they just give the xp cd?

edit: actually i do have an xp home CD, but its one i got with my dell desktop computer, would it still work?

 

You must have the full CD for this to work. Your Dell desktop CD, if it's a Windows CD and not a Dell restore disk, will work. However, you will be in violation of the license if it's in use on your Dell PC as well.

 

i guess i can just uninstall the programs and clean it up (f*** the computer companies ). what sony programs can be uninstalled, and what sony services don't need to start? can anyone point me to a website or anything, and thanks again for all this help!