Which method - "Clean Install" "Semi-clean" "Extracted"

Roninwz, Mrhaboobi, NN, Scuderia, MegaManx et al

First of all, thank you to all that have invested so much time and effort to develop these guides!

I have spent the last week reading all (that I could find) of the various "clean", "semi-clean", "extracted" threads on how to install vista without trial, bloatware, process intensive utilities etc.

I consider myself a reasonably proficient PC user, who has built numerous systems, tweaked software installations etc. and am comfortable with playing with software. I am however completely lost at this point on which method to utilize for reinstalling vista w/o the aforementioned SW, on my new FW290.

I realize that some of the methods are no longer viable/preferred, are system dependent, media dependent etc. However, having read the various threads, it is unclear which method is preferred and most likely to lead to success given all the trial and error that has been accomplished.

I think that it would be really useful at this point to document the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology, cross referenced by system and the availability of media, SW etc, along with links to all of the necessary tools and utilities to complete the task. I am happy to do the grunt work (if necessary I think it is, but let me know).

So, may I ask those of you who are most knowledgeable with the various methods to please take a minute to explain the advantages, and disadvantages of each method and which method is the preferred (ie most viable) at this point?

I think this would be really helpful to the newer members concerned with removing unwanted SW, who are trying to navigate this labyrinth.

 

I think most would agree that a clean install is the preferred method. It, however, requires access to a Vista installation DVD. This can be an "official DVD" from Microsoft or one of the ones obtained by the "extraction" method. (Extracting the installation files from an "Anytime Upgrade" directory on the hard drive.) It also requires finding all of the various drivers AND (and this is VERY VERY important) the auxiliary applications and/or libraries that enable the function keys, power management, on-screen display of brightness, volume etc.

The "semi clean" install, in a nut shell utilizes the Recovery Partition (or DVD's made from such) and a specifically timed interruption of the restore process. It requires only the existence of the recovery partition or DVD's and some critical timing. The downside is if you don't get the timing right, you end up without some stuff you needed or some stuff you didn't want.

If you want to start to put together some sort of spreadsheet on the various methods cross referenced by system type with columns for necessary files, applicability of the various methods etc. I, and I would guess others here, would be able to help you edit it. I don't have the time to go through the amount of grunt work that will be needed to compile such a list though.

Gary

 

Gary,

Thanks for the prompt reply. I have the time and the interest if it is considered to be of value to others. I will wait and see what kind of response I get.

I have access to any MSFT software that I need (my brother is a VP at MSFT).

However your comments (and others) related to the importance of incorporating auxiliary apps/libraries worries me. Also ronwiz follow on comments regarding value of a clean install versus vaio out of the box sw install, made me realize that there is no perfect method.

So yea, I will make the effort (if it comes out clean enough, maybe we make a sticky of it). That way newbies contemplating a clean/semi clean install can jump right to the appropriate and most viable methodology relative to their particular circumstances.

By the way I read the Sony "clean install guide". This appears to be old and suspect relative to the model I am working with (FW). Do you know when this was created/updated?

 

Not sure which of the many guides you are referring to. Got a link? I am pretty sure all of them are VERY specific to a certain model.

The fact that Sony uses these libraries/apps to augment the drivers makes it VERY important to have them and to install things in a specific order.

Gary

 

This one: http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?info_id=172#known

When I search on the sony site, this is the only guide I could find, it does not appear to be model specific.

 

Yes it is pretty old (at least a year and a half), but not specifically model dependent. It is a pretty good guide for the SEQUENCE of things. But the version numbers are not applicable to most (espeicially newer) models.

Gary

 

Ah sorry for the confusion, my parenthesis were misplaced.