Install for new VGN-FZ445DB Vista ? - want to remove bloatware

Hello all:

I'm looking for information on the best way to do a clean install for a brand new Vaio VGN-FZ445D/B PCG-3A4L. The laptop has not even been booted up yet. I want to find out how I can install it without all the crapware/bloatware that Sony includes.

(There's even a notice included with this Vaio that says that many of the pre-installed software trials cannot be extended by Canadian customers. So, this Vaio will have a bunch of stuff running that isn't even available to Canadians. I want to remove or uninclude as much of that useless stuff as possible.)

I hunted around these forums and see a few threads discussing ways to do semin-clean installs. The methods differ, so as a newbie it's unclear to me which is the best method to use for my Vaio.

Can someone more informed than me please provide some guidance? Thanks very much.

 

use search before posting

 

Thanks. I did search, and I became confused by the competing threads about various semi-clean installs. I can't figure out the pros and cons of the differing methods. That's why I'm requesting some guidance.

 

Did you read the various threads extensively? If yes, I will be able to answer your specific questions.

You could also go to the link in my signature to know about some methods of doing a clean install. Not all methods listed in there would apply to your model.

 

See my signature line below for a link to a thread on doing a clean install on a FZ series machine. The first thing you should do is right now, prepare a backup DVD set using the tool provided by Sony. This will allow you to recover no matter what happens, and is used in my clean install instructions.

You will need a real copy of a Vista install DVD to do a clean install, but coolguy has provided a way that you might be able to use to create just such a DVD from files that MAY be on your machine right now.

The semi-clean install is fol folks who have no access to a Vista installer DVD, or who don't have the files on their machine to use coolguy's trick.

A clean install is the preferred method, but in a pinch, the semi-clean install is the way to go. Look for ninja-noodles thread on the semiclean install. It is the most complete.

Gary

 

I've always been a bit reluctant to do a clean install in case I make a huge mistake and end up being hugely embarrassed sending my notebook back to Sony so they can reverse my anti-bloatware activities. I suppose though, if I keep my recovery partition and my recovery dvds I should be fine.

 

Yep, that is WHY those things exist. Look over my document, it is very detailed (maybe a bit too much so, I tend to be a bit verbose). If you have any questions just ask.

Gary

 

Thanks very much. I am now creating the three Recovery DVDs. I don't know if I'll be able to use coolguy's instructions for creating a Vista DVD, as his post says "For systems released prior to the release of Vista with SP1". This new Vaio has Vista Home Premium with SP1.

As this is a brand new Vaio on which I have not yet installed anything, would there be much of a benefit improvement to do a full clean install rather than the semi-clean install? It seems that the clean install is much more work, saving and installing all drivers, etc., whereas the semi-clean is less work and more automatically uses the drivers, etc. that came with the laptop?

My primary motivation here is to remove all the bloatware. Originally I was going to use PC Decrapifier and other methods to uninstall all the crap, but then I saw how many of you found that uninistalling did not free up as many processes as clean install or semi-clean install. Advice is appreciated on what route to take.

Thanks

 

If you plan to do a semi-clean install, or a clean install, you MUST make the Recovery DVD set. Both procedures require them. I don't want to sound like a pain in the ass, but if you do not make the recovery set, I won't provide any sort of help with the clean or semi-clean install process. I won't be reponsible for you getting your machine into an unusable state with no recourse to getting it back in operation. The Recovery DVD set is you lifeline back if anything goes wrong with a clean install. And as I said are REQUIRED if you want to do the semi-clean install anyway. Can I ask, why is it you are NOT going to create them? Or was that a typo and you meant to say "I am NOW creating..."???

RE: semi vs clean installs. The semi clean can still leave behind a few unwanted things and requires proper timing to interrupt the process. The clean install does take a few more steps, but gets you PRECISELY what you want. And a full understanding of exactly what has been installed or not.

Gary

 

Still you can check whether the windows anytime upgrade dvd content is present in your laptop. There is no major difference in performance between doing a clean install and manually removing bloatware /registry cleaning/ defragmenting, as I had done both.

By doing a clean install you will have a detailed knowledge about your system drivers and utilities, so that in the event of a problem it will be much helpful.

 

Yikes, what a horrible typo! It entirely changed the tone and meaning of what I was saying. I meant to type: "I am now creating the three Recovery DVDs".

Gary, you're not being a pain at all. I appreciate all your advice. In other forums, I'm often the one preaching the need for backups, etc. I am a big believer in disaster preparation, so of course I created the Recovery DVDs. I also did a full hard drive image, using Acronis True Image, to an external HD before I even booted up the new Vaio.

I followed your instructions. In Windows Anytime Upgrade there is only one option, to Compare editions of Windows Vista. When I click that, it connects to MS site with info. on various Vista editions and ability to buy/upgrade. It gives no indication that my Vaio is pre-configured. I also used Windows Explorer to look for a WAU folder in the locations you mentioned, but can find none.

Very interesting. I was getting the impression from people here that manual removal, followed by cleanup, was nowhere near as good.

Since it seems that I don't have the tools available to do a clean install, is Gary's phrase "requires proper timing to interrupt the process" a caveat or warning about risk of semi-clean process? Am I better to now just spend the time manually removing the bloatware?

 

As I was replying it occured to me that maybe that was meant to have been a "W" instead of a "T".

RE: the timing. It was a caveat. It will not hurt anything if you get the timing wrong. If you get the timing wrong, worst case you have to start over. Best case, you get as few bits of bloatware you need to uninstall. I am no expert on the semi method. You need to converse with Ninja Noodles or others. I am the clean install guy. [big ol' grin]

Gary

 

LOL. Thanks for the info. Yeah, I agree with you about clean installs. Even back in Win98 days, I always did a clean install. In fact I still use a Win98SE PC pretty frequently. It runs lean and fast, as it's well tweaked and optimized. My first step was always to boot from a DOS disk, use DOS copy to copy all setup files (cab files) from the Win98 install CD to the hard drive, then install from the files on the hard drive. It was faster and meant that anytime cab files were ever needed, they were already present on the HD rather than needing the Windows CD.

In this case I don't have any access to a real Vista install CD to do a clean install. This isn't going to be my laptop anyway, so perhaps the semi-clean install is good enough. I've gone through it once, but it still managed to install Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Connect conferencing, Napster, MS Office trial, Roxio, etc., so perhaps I wasn't quick enough at interrupting the process. I'll try again.

 

If this is not going to be your laptop, you shouldn't have worried too much about the whole clean install process.

 

Sweet I'll give a clean install a go once I am in university break.

 

LOL. It's for a friend, so I'd like to get it reasonably clean and fast for him.

 

Well, if its for your friend, then I wouldn't remove anything but obvious promotional stuffs...