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    Seeking advice: Clean install of VAIO SA36

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by shalan, Oct 20, 2012.

  1. shalan

    shalan Newbie

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    Hello,

    I have a VAIO VPC-SA36 and about to attempt a clean install (I'm following the guide from here). However I just have 3 questions that I'm seeking advice on please:

    1. The product key on the back of the machine reads " Win 7 Pro OA"...Can I download the Windows 7 Professional 64-bit with SP1 ISO (from digitalriver) and use my VAIO's key?

    2. My VAIO came fitted with a 256GB SSD (64GB x4 in RAID 0) - Is there anything I should be precautioned about before I format the primary partition? I am aware that the "100MB System Reserved" partition should be left well alone.

    3. This is the first notebook I've owned that came with a recovery partition. However, mine appears empty (see below) - how do I make use of this? Apologies in advance if this is a juvenile question!

    vaio-disk.png

    Thank you!
     
    shalan, Oct 20, 2012
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  2. ngochai0001

    ngochai0001 Newbie

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    You can do it. Just install windows 7 Pro sp1 and active windows with the Key. I do it on my vaio sa35gx and sucess.
     
    ngochai0001, Oct 21, 2012
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  3. EiSl

    EiSl Notebook Consultant

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    There is is small possibility you cannot automatic activate via internet.
    But then go for the phone option (also found in the activation dialog) and this definitely goes OK.

    Regarding your recovery partition:
    Curious: mine was quite filled (but I have the S-series).
    Could be that this recovery is build up after the first initial startup of your Vaio. When I powered first time and ran through all stuff, at the end I was offered to create recovery media. It could be that in your case this partition is then filled.
    But usually it contains a kind of image that returns your system back to factory setup.

    What I did when I reinstalled Windows from scratch:
    - From the original running environment, I make a disk clone myself and stored this on cheap external harddisk
    (FYI: I did have harddisk in my S13, and made a clone from this. After this I replaced that HDD with SSD)
    - Prepared a bootable USB with Windows 7 installation
    - Started laptop on this USB
    - And in the Windows disk/partition screen, I just wiped the whole disk and let Windows partition manager create everything for me. It knows its a SSD and will setup partitions accordingly. I did not care about the recovery partition since I have my own recovery media. This gives me another extra GB's.
     
    EiSl, Oct 21, 2012
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  4. shalan

    shalan Newbie

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    @ngochai0001 - Thanks!

    @EiSi - Thank you also for the great feedback! Almost done with backing up all of my data. I'll then try booting into recovery and see if anything comes up. I guess I'll end up deleting the recovery partition, and go the Recovery DVD route also. Once I set up my system properly from scratch, with all of my favourite programs installed, I should then be able to create a System Restore image from that, correct?
     
    shalan, Oct 21, 2012
    #4