VGN-FW180D Recovery Help

Hello all, I am currently trying to reformat my VGN-FW180D, but here is my problem. I was unaware you had to create the Recovery Disks. So my viao messed up and i went to reformat it with the partition and it reinstalled vista fine, but then it asked me for "Recovery Disk 1" and i was at a loss. I've done extensive google searching for the disks, but it seems ill have to either pay sony for them, or some shysty looking websites. Neither of which i want to do.
At one site i found; it said i can still create the recovery disks as long as i have the partition, but when i start the Recovery mode by pressing f10 or f11(i just push both...lol) It does not have the option to do so.

Could i just do a fresh install of vista(not from partition), then install all the required drivers and vista updates? Is there a order of operations when doing this also?

 

Does nobody know if i do a clean install, is their a order to install drivers, and should i install all the drivers before updating windows.

 

Sony eSupport - Electronics - Support Information
The link will give you the Sony clean install process for Vista.
F10 is the recovery center - it will reinstall the factory image - it won't give you options to make the disks.

 

Hey.. totally tried to use that link.... but sony is useless... when i tried to use that install order on a fresh install.. half of them wouldnt even open.... so i just did a fresh format and im hoping for a more detailed order or operations... All i know now is... NEVER BUY SONY VIAO!

 

Simpler version then:
1. Audio
2. Bluetooth
3. Chipset
4. Memory Stick
5. Memory Card Reader
6. Modem
7. Network Ethernet
8. Graphics
9. Wireless LAN
10. Sony Shared Library
11. Notebook Control & Utilities
12. Notebook Utilities
13. Notebook Control (Firmware Parser)
14. Touchpad
Has worked on this order for my FW200 series - clean installs on Vista and Win 7.
You'll be prompted several times during the process to re-boot.

 

right on man... now that looks like something i can totally work with... sony had me starting with 10,11,12 as 1,2,3

 

k one last question. after i do all that in proper order(i ended up using a driver program, so i have to start over again...lol) will i be able to create the recovery disks and then use the partition to reformat again?(not again but when the time comes again in the future)

 

You can only create recovery discs when you have the factory installed OS (which has all the bloat software). As mentioned above, you CANNOT create recovery discs while in the pre-boot (F10) mode.

That basically means you need to press F10 and install / restore back to the factory Vista OS. Once that's done, you're asked to create recovery discs at first start-up. And unfortunately, that is the only way to create those discs (unless you find a way to install Vaio Recovery Centre onto a clean-installed OS).