Vaio SVZ clean install Windows 10

After upgrade my ancient VPC-Z1 to windows 10 with Bios hack, last few days I start to install Windows 10 for my SVZ too (SVZ13114GXX). Surprisingly, It likes I have a whole new machine, clean and fast, some problem I've got from last 4 years with Windows 7 has gone, no more bloatware, no more left-over item. The installation is simple, but a bit problem to find good and minimum driver sets, no more no less, to lighten the system. So now I share my experience for those who want to cut short the process of installation.

1. Upgrade to Windows 10 free from here

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

Those who hesitate to upgrade should do it now when it's still free

2. After upgrade, you go to link bellow to download Windows 10 ISO to prepare a bootable USB drive for clean installation

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10#d2784474-fdb0-4e9d-9e47-5e88c0e053ec

If the tool provide by Microsoft refuse or do not recognize your USB (Min 4GB) then you use link bellow to download Rufus

https://rufus.akeo.ie/



There are 3 options when you chose the partition scheme of the USB, it depends on how you want to boot your machine:

- If in BIOS, your boot option is Legacy (old way), then you should use option 1.

- If in BIOS, your boot option is UEFI then probably you have reinstalled Window on the laptop for sometimes, because Sony originally shipped with Legacy, then you should know how to use UEFI and know what kind of your HDD is. One thing to be caution, If you chose a wrong option here (2) or (3), Windows installer will refuse to partition your HDD if you have more than 2 partitions on your HDD. If you plan to erase and re-partition the whole HDD, both C and D..., then no problem, window will switch your HDD to what you want (GPT or MBR)

- In theory, if you chose UEFI boot (new way, a bit faster), you should let your HDD go with GPT.

- Then after that, you boot from USB and let Windows to the clean installation. For safety reason, you should backup your original Recovery Partition before install Windows, then you should remove this partition, System Reserve, and System drive, let Windows Installer merges them together to create a whole new partitions.


3. Install drivers:

- Sony has set a whole new world standard for the so-called bloatware. Last 4 years I many time want to fresh install Window 7, but no time to read and find out what driver is needed, which is unnecessary, now with Windows 10, I have figure out some minimum set of drivers and what they do.

- On Sony website, go to your product page, you will see so much drivers, software, you may get confuse and don't know what driver has on Win 8.1, what only has in 8.0 or even some driver need to go back to Win 7.0 to download, so I put the indicator 70, 80, 81 in front of driver name, you just follow that guide to go direct to the page and download it.

- I category the drivers into it's functionary, that's more easy for you to follow up

3.1. Motherboard drivers:

- 80 Intel Chipset Driver:
This driver add nothing to your laptop currently, but in the future, maybe needed, so it's up to you, it only takes few megabyte of your HDD and add no process into windows, so it will not eat much resource.

- Intel Management Engine Interface:
This add an infrastructure for people to remote access your PC at Bios level, it's useful for enterprise environment where technical staff can set a lot of thing on your computer, for example, set a schedule to on/off computers remotely... sound is dangerous! and you don't want it anyway. But Window 10 already has this driver installed automatically, so you have nothing to do with Sony one. Anyway, you can disable this option in Bios.

3.2. System component:

- 70 Sony shared Library: It's a basic Library of all Sony laptops, must install.
- 80 Sony Firmware Extension Parser: same above, must install

- Intel USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller:
This one is not compatible with Window 10, so no need to pay attention.


3.3 System Software:

- 80 Vaio Peripheral Metadata Software:
I have tried to install this, but see nothing change, without it, system functions normally, so I don't know, it's up to you or anyone knows, please update information about this driver.

- 80 Sony Setting Program:
On some laptop, this one need to be installed to handle the Fn key - like my old VPC-Z1, but with SVZ, I did not notice anything. Further more, if install, it will ask you to install net frame work 2.5, 3.0... I see no benefit then I exclude it out.

3.4. Driver:

- 80 Finger Print Driver
- 81 Memory Card Reader Driver

Both need, you know what they are.


3.5. Core Software:

- 80 Vaio Control Center
- 81 Control Center Update (you need the above fist, then install update following)


3.6. Add-in software:

- Vaio Update
- Vaio Care

It's up to you, in my opinion, Vaio Update is ok, but Vaio Care gives me nothing but eat too much resource. You also cannot quit this app normally while it's running, the only way to quit it is to terminate the process, there is no way to disable it startup together with windows startup, you have to go to scheduler to turn it off so better leave it out.

That's all. With minimum set of driver and application, your 4 years old laptop now runs like a Ferrari . All Fn function work normally except that the Fn+F5/F6 do not show brightness indicator, but screen's brightness still work normally.