VGN-CR120E clean Vista install

I wanted to share my sucessful steps for a clean install on my bloated VGN-CR120E. Not saying this is the best way, but it did work out pretty good for me (so far)......

1. Install Windows Vista (I used Home Premium)

I had previously downloaded all the original software from the Sony US download site. The file name is listed under each driver/application.

2. Install the below in the following order:

Intel® Chipset Device Software
INDOTH-12651900-US.EXE

Reboot

Sony® Firmware Extension Parser
SODSNC-10416100-US.EXE

Reboot

Sony® Programmable I/O Control Device Driver
SODSPI-10238000-US.EXE

Reboot

Sony® Shared Library for Microsoft® Windows Vista®
SOASSL-10555400-US.EXE

Reboot

Sony® Notebook Utilities
Sony Utilities DLL
Setting Utility Series
Battery Checker
Wireless Switch Setting Utility
VAIO® Camera Utility
VAIO Camera Capture Utility
VAIO Power Management
VAIO Event Services
AV Mode Button Utility
SOOOTH-39700000-US.EXE

Reboot

Mobile Intel® 965 Express Chipset Family Graphics Driver
INDVID-12875800-US.EXE

Realtek® High Definition Audio Driver
REDAUD-12959400-US.EXE

Conexant® HDAUDIO SoftV92 Data Fax Modem with SmartCP
CODMOD-12759200-US.EXE

Realtek® RTL8101 Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet NIC Driver
REDETH-13064100-US.EXE

Sony® Visual Communication Camera
SODCAM-12938600-US.EXE

Intel® Wireless WiFI Link 4965AGN Network Connection Driver
INDWLL-13179500-US.EXE

Sony® Image Filter Driver
SODOTH-12946300-US.EXE

Texas Instruments® PCIxx12 Integrated FlashMedia Controller Driver
TIDFMC-12675200-US.EXE

Memory Stick® Registry Patch
SOAOTH-12702300-US.EXE

UPEK® TouchChip FingerPrint Coprocessor Driver
UPDOTH-10869600-US.EXE

Synaptics® PS/2 Port TouchPad
SPDOTH-12804200-US.EXE

3. Downloaded and extracted:

ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/VAIO/ORIGINAL/CR1_UTILITIES.ZIP

4. Installed from the extracted utilities zip:

VAIO Hardware Diagnostics
Battery Care Function
VAIO Control Center

5. Installed Instant Mode from the recovery DVDs (I do see it at ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/VAIO/ORIGINAL/INSTANT MODE.ZIP but didn’t try this version)

Reboot

Good luck! I'm a happy camper now that I don't have all the bloatware.

 

How many processes are you running now ? And how much RAM approx while doing nothing extraordinary ? Do all the media buttons work ? Did you have any trouble with the webcam not working, before ..... and afterwards?

 

zerok - I'll check the memory / process when I get home. Yes all the media buttons work and webcam works before and after.

 

But do you have to buy another Windows CD?

 

I had one.

 

I bought a used CR-120E, without recovery partition/DVDs. I installed retail vista and all necessary drivers/applications without any problem after 3 trials. I only do not have the instant on feature. The versions on sony ftp site are not compatible with my CR120E. I think the only way is to extract it from recovery DVDs. Anyone help?