Upgrading Vista = Problem with drivers?

I was wondering;

If I'd purchase a Sony VAIO Z model with Vista home premium, and if I would then personally upgrade to Vista Ultimate, would I then encounter problems with drivers? (i.e. Would I then have to manually download all kinds of drivers in order to make the Z working perfect again?) Or will Vista Ultimate in this case just work fine?

 

I think you'll have to "eat your way through the Sony site" if you know what I mean and manually download all the drivers.

I can tell you that Vista will definitely not have drivers for everything!

(Maybe the Fn button, some people had problems with that on an SZ, maybe the camera, who knows. The basics will work but else, I doubt it.)

 

Hmm ok, that's a pity, but at least it's good to know it now!

Thanks for your reply.

 

Just thinking, I have to add a "caveat" to my answer.
I am asuming that you will do a clean install with Vista Ultimate.

If you just Upgrade it might work, however Windows Vista somehow does tend to damage drivers...
(Personal experinece just Updates, and I got the blue screen due to a camera!! (reinstalling the driver solved the problem))

 

Ah I see. Well it would indeed concern a real 'upgrade' and not a full, clean install.

Someone who could come with a definitive answer?

 

I think nobody tried with With the Z sereis before, and unless all drivers have been used before an definite answer may be given.

Also, if you just upgrade, won't it slow down your computer?

Also, Vista Business is, strangely enough able to instal games under "additional/optional WIndows functions" (translated from German) so other things might be too. So do you really need the Update?

 

No I don't really need it, but I am able to get the upgrade rather cheap (via my University); e.g. it would be possible for me to buy a Z with Home Premium, and then upgrade to Ultimate for only €75.

 

In that case I just suggest you keep your hands off the update, also because it would slow down you system.
Home Premium? The Z should ship with Vista Business in Europe. And in Germany it only ships with Vista Business.

Also, I believe I once saw a chart and Vista Business has a few network options that Ultimate doesn't have.

Also, Ultimate will through the Media Centre use more resources than Business.
Vista effectively drains computer power away, to be honest, in normal use, my SZ (2,5GHZ dual core centrino) doesn't seem much faster than my 3 years old Medion laptop with a 1,6 GHz Centrino, except with CPU intensive applications, and in some cases the harddrive is faster...
(it is stilol a very nice and powerful laptop and I like it)

So why loose something you may need, to get something you don't need?

But the choice is yours.
My suggestion, stay with Vista Business on the Z.

 

Then a related question; If you take a look at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx, you may actually get the idea that vista home premium is more useful to a student than vista business. What do you think about that? Which vista version would you advise (for a student), ceteris paribus?

(Actually this may be called hi-jacking a topic, but since it's my own topic I felt this couldn't be a real problem )

 

Well, your Media Centre only eats up resources, so unless you know what you want to do eith it you do't need it.

HD Videos in Windows Movie Maker and DVD - you get some DVD software and some film editing software if you need these two.

The games, oddly enough my SZ is able to install them on Vista Business.

Then the BitLocker - well, Sonys SZ is able to encrypt files using your fingerprint (or a password), as far as I am aware the Z can do the same.

And which software is more useful for a student - I will start at University too, and I've go an SZ with Vista Business, and I'm happy with it.

And the complete Backup on Vista Business might be useful for a student if the laptop gets bashed around .

I think in the end it very much boils down to a matter of opinion. Just think what you want to do with your laptop.
Games run on Vista Business, so that wouldn't be a problem, of course ofice software does also.
There is no perfect answer to this question. You said you don't need Ultimate, OK.
Now, the Z ships with Vista Business (at least in Germany, and the rest of Europe should be the same) and that should be fine for you. Unless you definitely need the Media Centre (which I find dreadfull on my mothers laptop, for use maybe it you want to listen to worldwide radio, but any website would do also).