Vista Difference between Clean/P1/Semi-clean/XP

I did a clean Vista install of my SZ6 and there are some notable changes from the P1 Image, Factory, and Semi-clean install. Sorry, no actual benchmarks done.

FYI: I tried a clean Vista installation twice. The first one did not go so well after the Intel GMA installation so I randomly installed drivers to test them out. The 2nd time, I followed a straight driver order and so far, everything is working.




1) The Vaio Camera has always been slow and jerky, both in the P1 and Semi-clean installation. But with my first clean installation, I got a smooth clean picture and sound even at 15 fps. But when I did the 2nd clean install, I get qualities between the 1st clean installation and the P1 jerky one. Thoughts?

2) Internet Explorer starts up, loads, and is less unstable with the clean install. P1 IE will sometimes hang for a noticeable time period on random pages especially Sony’s driver page.

3) Clean install bootup time has decreased by 30 percent compared to the P1. XP bootup time is 80% less compared to the P1. Shutdown time for all Vista installations is negligible. XP is around 50% better.

4) Vista, IMHO, is a lot faster and less annoying. For example, Photo Gallery’s Viewer use to take forever to close all the time on P1’s image and now it doesn’t.

5) Wifi is detecting my network a lot faster and before I even sign in. On P1’s, it use to connect and then disconnect a few seconds later. It doesn’t do that anymore.






***ANY THOUGHTS ON ANY THESE PROBLEMS I ENCOUNTERED OR A CHANGE IN DRIVER ORDER IS WELCOME. ALSO, VISTA DVD HAS AN OPTION TO LOAD DRIVERS BEFORE OS INSTALLATION. IF ANYBODY IS WILLING TO TRY THIS OUT, PLEASE COMMENT.***








Below is what I did
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I first wrote over my hard drive with 0’s using my Sony Recovery dvd’s (I like to start fresh).

Then I used the Vista Upgrade DVD to install Vista.

Restarted after every driver/software installation. During my 1st installation when I did not restart unless prompted to, one of the drivers/software made the system pop up with error messages but I am not sure which one so I restarted everyone the 2nd time around.

PC set on “speed” mode and wifi/Bluetooth switch turned off throughout the whole installation.

Intel’s updated GMA driver did not install correctly on the SZ. So I had to switch to the Sony Factory one. All drivers/software are from Sony’s website or Recovery DVD.

(***) Drivers/software that came from manufacturer’s website.

Driver order:
1) Intel Chipset***
2) Sony Shared Library
3) Intel GMA
4) NVIDIA Driver
5) Sigmatel Audio Driver
6) Intel Wifi Driver***
7) Toshiba Bluetooth Stack
8) Marvell Yukon Ethernet***
9) Alps Touchpad Driver
10) TI Flashmedia Driver
11) TI Memory Card Reader Patch
12) Infineon TPM
13) Sony I/O
14) Sony Visual Communication Camera
15) Sony Image Filter Driver
16) Sony Firmware Extension
17) Upek Touchchip Driver
18) Sony Notebook Utilities
19) Vaio HDD Protection
20) Hard Drive Protection Software
21) Protector Suite QL Software

Driver order came from many forum members earlier tests. Notable help came from: Stallen, Synthesia, and ScuderiaConchiglia

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=144783&highlight=clean+vista

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=145748&highlight=sz+driver+order

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=169461&highlight=sz+driver+order