Sony Z: clean install and tweak guide?

Hi,

I'm about to buy a new Z in a couple of weeks and want to set it up right the first time, sans the bloatware.

I'm sure I'm not alone.

I know there are hundred page deep threads on this series that discuss a multitude of tweaks and driver issues, but there's nothing in the FAQ about what to do when you first unbox, whether to uninstall or reload, etc.

Could we please use this thread to build a step by step to clean installing, sourcing the best drivers, and any tweaks to improve colour and battery life (for example)? Or if it's already done, please point to where.

Thanks!

 

It doesn't have much bloatware to begin with. Only an antivirus which you can uninstall (and maybe 2-3 sony programs you won't use). Other than that update all the drivers and you should be good to go. Really the clean install is pretty overrated on the Z.

 

^agreed, just remove what you don't want.

 

I did fresh install. IMO, it better than only remove bloat ware. I have a threat here, ask people about the stuff.
take a look if you want http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...uys-help-me-some-questions-2.html#post6837961

 

Ok, nobody told you the most important thing to do when you first get your Z...BURN YOUR OWN RECOVERY DVD!

Then, do a clean install of Windows..it's the best thing you can do.

You'll gain about 8-10gb of space from hidden recovery partition you deleted and no longer need. You won't lose 100mb of free space on every bootup from lame Sony bloatware. And you don't need half the Sony stuff.

Download all the latest drivers from manufacturer websites (except GPU driver) and enjoy your Z the way it was meant to be.

 

So since we are having this conversation again ...WHY does everyone insist clean install is the way to go? What exactly do you get for the 2-3 hours of work??

 

You don't need to do a clean install to recover your recovery partition.

If my Z wasn't the fastest computer I've ever used, I might think about doing a clean install. And i wouldnt mess around I'd put Linux on it too.

Seems like I read more threads about "I did a clean install, now help me reinstall X!" than anything around here

Just use it before you commit to doing that. And uninstall, clean up the registry and startup tasks with ccleaner, and clean up the scheduled tasks, and it runs like a top.

This from a guy whose built his own computers and installed his own OSs for >15years.

PS if you really wanna do it, look harder do a search there's info everywhere. There's a thread right here on page1.

 

And burn more than one set of recovery disks. The machine is VERY finicky reading disks and I'd say you have a 50% chance or higher of recovery media not working when it comes time to restore.

 

In my opinion if you can do an image of your system it will be very useful

To do a step by step:
1. Start your Vaio Z for the first time
2. Do a Recovery DvD's (2 or 3)
3. Install your useful programmes like open office or Microsoft office, games, ....
4. Get original copy of windows and burn a dvd
5. Start the windows dvd (I did that when my session as admin was open) your computer will reboot
6. The computer will ask you to update or custom (for clean install chose custom)
7. You will be asked to choose what partition you want for installation (I had 3 on my installation!!)
8. The old os will be stored in 'windowsold' (in my opinion don’t erase it for now wait until all drivers are installed and working)
9. Follow the steps to install all drivers (you have to download them from the sony support) but some z13 drivers will not work you have to get the z12 drivers in that case.
10. If some drivers are causing trouble go get them from 'windowsold'

 

Ordered a new Z13 and can't wait to do a clean install! I usually do a clean install to free up some memory and to make sure all the settings are default and adjusted to my liking (rather than having bloatware having predefined settings and having to look through them to ensure it's not spyware, etc.).

 

I've found in the past Windows seems more responsive on a fresh build, with a slim registry, and no anti-virus utilities, but in this instance, I guess it depends what Sony has included in the startup, if there are better drivers out there, and whether Sony's barge of utilities just get in the way.

That's why I'm interested in getting it right the first time. Things like the video, synaptics and wi-fi drivers: do we stick with Sony's releases, or look elsewhere?

And things like Power Settings, Refresh Rate, custom BIOS, TPM, and stuff that can be disabled. Who, for example, really wants fingerprint security?

I'm hoping we can condense a reference guide from the hundreds of pages of wisdom here without having to read every work in the process.

Thanks

 

If you don't want antivirus and some of the other sony stuff, just uninstall it. It's a relatively lean install as it is.

Custom bios? not sure what that has to do with a clean install.

Who wants fingerprint security? Me. Anyhow if you don't use it, don't set it up...or uninstall the software.

I think there are some threads with a step by step with what you are looking for, regardless if I believe there's a point or not

 

I found it pretty tricky to find all the hidden settings for all the weird programs that came installed by default. For example, there seem to be different places in Windows7 where applications can set themselves to run everytime I turn on the computer, or everytime I connect to the internet, or w/e. It's not just bloatware that's the problem -- it's the actual Windows install with Microsoft's software-phoning-home-on-your-internet-connection that is simply offensive. However I'm not sure how much of that you even have the option of disabling when you install windows from scratch.

I definitely found the fingerprint scanner software annoying, but also the Adobe stuff always tries to pre-load a bunch of programs that always run for the sole purpose of speeding up the Adobe software boot-time, which is stupid, and it's hard to get them to stop. Also, Adobe and Java have their auto-updaters which are annoying as hell.

The problem is, you probably want to keep these things installed, you just have to go through them all very carefully to get them to stop their naughty behaviours.

 

^One place to disable startup apps, that would be msconfig

I'm not sure what MS phoning home s/w you are referring to...but if there is such a thing I'm sure it'll exist in a "clean" install as well.

What apps have "naughty behaviors"? Again, you can disable all the startup stuff by uninstalling or simply in msconfig.

 

mrrrrf, I don't have windows anymore so I can't go through the stuff that was bugging me before, sorriez. yeah you're probably right on all counts tho *shrug*

 

Yes, there's a load of info. Some of it, like what you've given, is conflicting, and some clearly out of date.

I really would like to compile the latest advice, not just the (pros and cons of a) clean install of windows but all the tweaks and whether it's helpful to hack the BIOS.

For instance, I've seen in here somewhere that reducing the refresh rate increases battery life, and that if you want true colour rendition you might need to install third party software. It would be nice (not just for me) to find this in a FAQ to save several days reading through old threads.

Just saying.

But thanks

 

I'd say he means Windows Update including all the various security definitions. Turning all that off is the first thing I do, but that's more generic Windows advice than undoing whatever Sony has lumped us with.

The last two Sony laptops I bought (TR1 and TZ) were completely littered with multimedia apps, trials and superfluous control panels. It took me a long time to figure out what they did and whether I needed them.

 

I have a Z 1190. Is there a way to download or print to file a list of the programs installed and the services running to post for input here? For example, when I go to program panel / uninstall prgrams, I see a large list and there are a ton of Sony programs I might not need, and PMB stuff... might be the easiest way to get input here.
Thx

 

I bought my Z in July and decided for a clean install last week. I found the system even more snappier and my battery life has improved by as much as 1 hour and as least as 30 mins. My battery life previously would be in the range 3-3.5 hours no matter what i do.

Plus, I have re-imaged my drive with acronis because I am a person who likes to clean install once in a while.

Now my problem is when I put the Z in hibernation mode, it would automatically wake up in 3-5 hours.

 

While I'd have liked this is as well, I think things like this work out far better as a wiki rather than a sticky thread which likely would just exhibit the same behavior over time. Overall, I've managed to get most of what I need from scrounging around, my box seems to be running pretty well. In the end, you have to make a series of decisions for yourself anyway.

 

have you disabled wake timers?