Quick Web Access and HDD replacement

Hi guys,

Soon I'll be a Vaio owner too and I have some questions about the Quick Web Access feature.
If I replace the HDD in the future, how can I then restore this functionality? Is it simply a matter of installing some downloadable files on a special partition?

Also, is it perhaps possible to replace this system with a different OS, let's say Chromium OS? Or does the bios perform some checks to make sure it's really the original system?

And how does Sony provide a way to restore the full system (Windows)? A restore DVD or a restore partition? If it's a partition, can I just copy that to a new HDD (which I probably will install sometime in the future) ?

 

At least on my machine this functionality worked fine after the HDD swap by simply installing the corresponding software in Windows.

Restore options: Just create your own recovery disks with the Sony Utilities. It is easier than copying the content of the hidden partition and you get more individual options on what to restore and what not.

 

Ordinarily, there will be a disk of the various Sony utilities that came with the machine so it should be there, otherwise you will probably be able to download it from the Sony support website. Also, if you are replacing the HDD, you can either do a fresh OS install, or clone the existing drive, which will maintain all the installed software that was on it anyway.