Owner of new Sony Vaio Z needs help with clean Win 7 install - create restore USB flash drive?

I just purchased a brand new Sony Vaio Z (model SVZ1311AFXX) and am very excited to receive it. The first thing I plan to do, as I do with all computers I purchase, is a clean install of Windows 7.

I've done this many times in the past, and the process was simple: create restore DVDs, download key drivers (network, BIOS, etc) to a flash drive, then boot from the disc, reformat, install Windows, then install drivers.

What's different for me for this first time with this computer is 1) no optical drive with which to create restore discs, and 2) SSD with recovery partition I want to get rid of.

Two questions:

1) Ideally I'd like to create a restore image of Windows 7 to a flash drive instead of DVDs, but I've never done this before and I can't find a great guide to this online (most I've seen involve DVDs at some point, which I'm trying to avoid). I would like to then boot from this USB flash drive to reinstall Windows. Is this possible?

Does Vaio Care or any other Sony utility offer the ability to create a USB flash drive restore image, or just DVDs?

2) What are the next steps / any watch-outs for this process? Do I have to do anything special to enable booting from USB? Once I have a bootable flash drive, do I just need to download the drivers from Sony's website to a different flash drive and install them?

Thanks for all your help!

 

1. VAIO Care offers USB Flash Drive option for creating recovery software. Otherwise, 6 x DVDs or 3 x DL DVDs are required.
2. VAIO Care will make your USB Recovery bootable.

 

I think you also need the Windows installation files on a separate bootable USB stick.

Sent from my Galaxy Note

 

That's awesome news, thanks a lot for the answer. How large does the USB flash drive need to be?

 

Over on this thread, you seem to detail the same process ngvuanh does above: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/677185-vaio-z-create-recovery-flash-drive.html

What do you mean you need the Win installation files on a separate bootable USB stick? As you detail in that other thread, can't I just use VAIO Care to create a bootable recovery image on a USB drive that I can use to delete all partitions, reformat, and reinstall Windows?

 

If you need a clean Windows install without the Asus bloatware, you need the Windows setup files from Microsoft. You can then install the same Windows version using your key.

Sent from my Galaxy Note

 

I assume by Asus bloatware you mean Sony bloatware? Because I'm on a Vaio Z.

Are you saying that if I use VAIO Care to create recovery media on a flash drive and use that to reinstall Windows, that it will automatically install Sony crap with it? There's no way to create pure Windows recovery media through VAIO Care?

Is there a way to get clean Windows setup files (ideally an ISO) from Microsoft if I haven't bought it directly from them, but I've bought Windows 7 through Sony with my computer?

 

Sorry I meant to say Sony bloatware. Vaio Care only lets you restore Windows to a factory state although it does let you delete the recovery partition.

Follow the steps here for a clean Windows installation:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=611847

Sent from my Galaxy Note

 

Will reinstalling Windows using VAIO Care-created media also automatically install all extra Sony software, or not? That's really what I'm trying to purge.

I saw that guide for a clean Windows 7 install. However, that process requires either a Windows ISO image or a DVD. I clearly won't have a DVD because I have no optical drive, and even if I did, it sounds like what you're telling me is I couldn't create a "pure" Windows DVD anyway, it would have Sony stuff imbued.

That gets me back to an ISO image. Is there a way to obtain this ISO image for a copy of Windows 7 that's installed on a new computer I receive? Microsoft's website explains how to get one if you purchase a copy of Win7 on their website, but not if you get a copy with a computer.

 

Here is the site to download Windows 7 ISO for all versions (Official).
Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links) « My Digital Life

There may be a way to recover your Z using USB drive without bloatware.
I have done this with DVD media. When you run recovery, do not create recovery partition. Once VAIO Care finishes extracting images to c: drive, you can remove USB drive. Usually, remove USB after first restart.
It will ask you USB drive, but just cancel it. VAIO will do the rest as usual and you will have a fresh start with all drivers and utilities installed.

 

If I use one of these generic ISO images, will it ask at some point for an activation code, key, anything like that?

Also, if I go with the Windows ISO route and do a clean install free of Sony stuff, am I losing anything important? I assume I can reinstall anything I might want (VAIO Care, for example) separately.

 

Yes, it will ask you to enter product key. However, you can do it later within 30 days.
Just use the key underneath your Z. Remember download and install the same version which you have with your Z originally.
You can go to esupport.sony.com and enter your Z model number.
There will be all software utilities and drivers for your Z.