Windows XP on VAIO Z

I just got my VAIO Z laptop, it's super-great, but it has a lot of software that i will not use. My question is, if I install Windows XP formatiing the hard disk, it will work normally as Vista works? Do I need any drivers?

Thanx in advance.

 

You Are a Real MONGOL

of course it needs drivers . . . you can find here :

http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/270960/product/vgn-z12gn/sectionfirst?subpage=detail

 

^ at previous poster.

Anyway, to answer your question, you should be able to install XP, but you *will* need drivers. The SATA drivers for your hard drive especially need to be slipstreamed onto your XP installation disk before you can install without problems. You can probably find them on the Sony website.

 

The other two threads on this:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=304290
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=293525

 

@OP - you do realise that you might lose certain Z specific utilities when moving to XP?

cheers ...

 

I'm not sure that any of the lost things are really all that useful, though. Do you have any examples of what we're missing out on?

Part of me thinks I should be using Vista sooner or later as XP will eventually go out of support. But for now, XP just seems so much faster.

 

Depending on your computer Vista will not be slower than XP.

On my 3 years old Medion laptop XP was slower than Vista is on my SZ7

 

I got VGN-Z11XN and i really like windows XP but i found a bit difficult the downgrade to XP so i'll stick to Vista Are you sure that XP is slower than Vista on Sony PC's?

 

Its due to the specs.

If you get a high end computer now, it'll run Vista as fast as an older "middle-end" laptop.

Its not due to it being a Sony laptop.

 

I have included a raid driver into windows xp boot CD, but when i try to boot from the cd, i see only a black screen and it stays forever like this.

Before, with a normal XP cd i have recived the same black screen and than BSOD (blue-screen-error) istead booting from CD. Booting vista works fine, what can I do? I love XP

 

There's another recent thread about this from the past couple of days. Have a look around and you should find a solution.

 

But i have slipstream the XP driver into instalation CD and I still get a black screen when i'm booting instead windows setup. What can i do?

 

It works until setup restart the computer and when it must to continue the setup i recive an error on black screen something about hard disk like cannot be read.

 

I'm pretty sure this is because you're not slipstreaming the correct SATA driver. Try including this driver in your XP setup disc:

ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/OS/XPDOWNGRADE/SATA DRIVER INTEL NON-RAID 8.0C _ 8.0.0.ZIP

 

the whole folder, and no other changes in nLite, right?

 

Sorry, I don't know. I have never slipstreamed my own XP disc (I just used the XP downgrade media provided in my Z's box by Sony)...

 

What type of Z do you have? I got Z11XN and i didn't recive any CD's in my package.

 

I have a Z11VN. But the downgrade disc is only provided with models that have Vista Business. If your Z has Vista Business, you could try contacting Sony to obtain downgrade media. Otherwise, you need to find your own copy of XP (and license, of course).

 

BTW. Is sony updating XP drivers? For example graphics driver at intel's site is waaay newer,than what sony has on FTP.

But when I run installer downloded directly from Intel, it says it cant be installed and I should obtain a proper driver from PC manufacturer/

 

A lot of the times when I run into issues with installers for drivers, I've found it more helpful to actually find the *.inf files and install them from the hardware device manager.

 

That does not work for intal graphics driver

I extract the contents of .exe archive into s separate folder and point device manages there to search for a driver. There is an .inf, but driver updated does not take it as n appropriate.

Still looking wor an updated VAIO intel graphics driver. (Or a way to install one downloaded from intel)

 

I did work for me. Make sure the light at Stamina is on.

Take this driver: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/con...91&DwnldId=16944&strOSs=&OSFullName=&lang=eng

Install 7zip. Extract the driver with 7zip.

Than manually point the "VGA (VGA compatible)" device to the directory
/Graphics.

 

Thank you "Have disk" was the trick. But driver version displayed in properties is 6.14.10.4990 (See the attached image)

While intel's site says the latest version is 14.36.3.4990

What version does your lappy display in properties? (unfortunately I did not write down the version before installing new driver, so I doubt if it changed at all )

 

Same as you, also 6.14.10.4990

PS. what is the best Nvidia driver, is it the one from Laptopvideo2go.com ?

 

I have also downgraded to Windows XP, but even I have installed the latest driver from Intel as well as updated the BIOS to the newer version, I still have display problem under Staminia mode intermittently - sometimes the display will be reverted to 640 * 480 4 bits color.

 

How did you downgrade to windows XP?

Can somebody help me to install a windows XP on my VAIO z11xn?

I have tryed to slipstream the driver, but after setup restart the PC, i see a black-screen-error instead to continue setup

If somebody can send me a copy of windows xp for this vaio version i give you anything

Yahoo messenger ID: mongol_ro

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=309592

Can't help you with that, unless you're living here in Amsterdam. Although my CD might be licensed to me. I'm not sure how it works.

 

But where did you got the XP downgrade disc? Where can I find one?

 

It comes with the Z in Europe. I've got one for sale but it's a bit expensive if you just want the disc

 

I live in europe and i didn't recive any cd's when i puchased the PC, showld i ask sony shop for the downgrade disk?

 

The downgrade is only valid for PCs which come bundled with Vista Business. If your Z came with another version of Vista, you aren't entitled to a disc and you'll need to find your own XP installation disc (and licence!), sadly.

If your Z came with Vista Business, try contacting the shop first if it's easy but I'd guess they would have just given you what they received from Sony... so you might have to contact Sony to request a disc. I know that in the US, Sony had problems getting the discs manufactured in time to include them with the first Zs... so they included a slip of paper giving details of where the discs could be ordered from instead.

 

Yeah try it. It was in the box it came in with mine.

I checked Sonystyle.nl but they don't mention it.

Other retailers do: http://computerpirates.com/catalog872_0.html

 

They didn't have any copy of windows XP, and told me to call microsoft to tell me where to download a copy of windows XP for my PC if i have a license. Microsoft told me that they don't have any windows to download on their website, and to contact the sony support again. Can somebody send me a copy of windows XP for this kind of laptop? i will pay for it.

 

You can install XP with the F6 command to load extra (sata) drivers.
You need an USB floppy drive with the correct sata drivers.
Sometimes the floppy drive is not recognized in the next step of setup ( copying the drivers).
Therefore follow this tread:
http://www.msfn.org/board/F6-Driver-USB-Floppy-t82711.html

 

It did'n work with the sata driver, please if anyone got the XP Downgrade Disc for vaio Z, I will pay him trough paypall if he would send me a coppy over the messenger.

 

Mongol, I just did an XP install on my SR, and one of the problems with the SATA drivers that I encountered is that it WILL NOT WORK properly unless you install ONLY the driver compatible with Sony. So, if you had the Mass Storage drivers slipstreamed, it will not work. Check out the first section of my SR Downgrade guide on slipstreaming the SATA drivers and see if that helps. I believe the Z uses the same SATA/Intel chipset that the SR uses.