Sony Z - Possible to Clean Install XP when Vista came with laptop?

I'm getting BSOD when I stick my XP cd in. Do I need to change a bios setting or something?

Maybe my CD is bad...

 

It's likely caused by your installation disk of XP not coming with SATA drivers. Download some from driverpacks.net (The mass storage package), slipstream them into the XP disk using nLite and then try the install again. Sony's website may also have XP versions of their drivers, so that's another place to check.

 

i just thought of that about 10 seconds before i read your post. i'm 100% positive that you're right.

only problem is that I dunno how to slipstream the drivers into the xp disk. does the sony BIOS have some sort of AHCI "compatibility" setting?

 

where can i learn to use nLite? i don't think there's a way around this.


unless! is there a way to boot off a CD that will load SATA cd rom drivers, then put the XP CD and start the autorun?

 

Use GOOGLE! It is your friend in times of need

You should have no problem finding out how to slipstream drivers....

Unfortunately the XP installation from booting off the disc HAS to have either the drivers slipped, or use a floppy drive (which your lappy doesn't have) and use the F6 option.

M$ finally got their crap together with Vista's installation environment. You can use CD's, DVD's, USB/memory sticks, etc to load drivers when you boot from cd.

Good luck!

 

I did my slipstreaming using this awesome guide here on NBR. Step by step instructions, should be more than enough!

 

ok, i think i learned nLite in about 10 min. i downloaded the mass storage driver pack on driverpack.net.

do i have to slip ALL these drivers? or does someone know the specific ones that i need?

 

Well, I was lazy so I slipped all the drivers lol. According to driverpacks, you will only *install* the one that you need, so as long as it can fit onto a CD or DVD, you should be fine. If you want to be really lazy, you can also slipstream their other packages, like their WLAN, Audio, and Video packages, which should cover most of the Z's hardware.

 

k, i hope the sony z's optical drive can handle burning a windows cd. that's a lot of files!

 

Let me know if slipstreaming the drivers worked. I have a BSOD error when trying to clean install XP myself. Did you get the BSOD error before even seeing the blue setup screen? I did, which is why I think slipstreaming the drivers won't help, at least on the Z series. I figured, if I got the BSOD error before I even get the option to hit F6 to load additional drivers then there is no point in slipstreaming.

I hope I'm wrong though.

 

I slipstreamed a new windows XP cd with the Mass Storage Drivers and it didn't work!

Anyone else have an idea?

 

Can you see what the exact error is? Having the actual error code would be helpful in troubleshooting this. If it goes by too fast or something, try to take a picture.

 

Yeah, I don't remember seeing the option to hit F6. I don't see how hitting F6 would help though. Mine gets all the way to "Windows is Starting" and then it BSODs. It loads a bunch of drivers before the BSOD like SCSI Floppy, etc... do you get this far?

Lemme try again and look for the F6 option.

Edit: I DO see the F6 option. It's the first thing that pops up. After that it goes to: Setup is loading files (insert names here).... then BSOD at Windows is Starting.

 

Error message coming. It stays on the screen until you turn it off.

 

F6 only allows you to load SCSI drivers from Floppy. -_-

 

Setup is starting Windows.... BSOD!! right on q.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF78D2524, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

 

I think I figured it out.

I didn't slipstream (nLite) the Mass Storage Drivers into my XP correctly. I think they should have all been put in as Text Based drivers instead of PNP.

Does this make sense to anyone?

 

Yes, I think they should be text-based and AHCI if I'm not mistaken. Try it again and see if it works!

 

I have a different error. I don't get as far as you do. I get the BSOD error as soon as I hit any key to boot from the CD.

STOP : 0x00000072 if I remember correctly. I think it's a failure to assign drive letters.

I couldn't figure this problem out and I don't think slipstreaming drivers won't help me because mine BSODs before it even starts the setup (i.e. before even loading drivers and asking to push F6 for additional device drivers).

I can do without XP though. Vista is working perfectly fine for me and I'll probably use the XP partition I set aside for additional space for my Linux installation.

 

Yes, this laptop is driving me crazy as well.

I couldn't install XP because of the that blue screen, so I did a fresh install of Windows Vista Ultimate, and now I can't get the FN keys working. There are no drivers for it.

 

lifebot, try following the clean installation instructions for the Z:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=293880

That's how I got a fresh install of Vista ultimate working flawlessly.

 

Thanks Hybri1dz, I got the FN keys working.

However, I still want a XP Pro on this laptop. I just can't stand vista.

 

agreed. vista blows harder than hurricane ike across my front lawn. i'm going to try slipstreaming the mass storage drivers again and try to get them all textmode.

 

Dang- I just got my new Z - I replaced the hard drive and was all set to put a nice copy of XP on it. I got the BSOD trying to install XP. I'll see what I can come up with. I tried downloading the SATA drivers and slipstreaming them with nlite - no luck.

 

OK - I found a solution. The Sony driver page for the Z540e has the sata drivers for the 9m but is missing the txtsetup.oem so I couldn't use a floppy to do an install. I went to http://downloadcenter.intel.com/con...01&DwnldId=16759&strOSs=&OSFullName=&lang=eng - and put them on a floppy and am beginning my hd format - it recognized my HD and didn't get the BSOD I got previoiusly