the syntax of the model.txt

Keywords: sony vaio driver install model type check model.txt syntax

As i don't have a sony-made vista-installation on my pc anymore, i can't lookup the syntax of the famous model.txt-file anymore...
But as I need it for reinstalling windows de-novo:

please post here the content of your model.txt-file. (I try to do a vgn-160NB install, as it has almost exactly my hardware (except felica etc...)

 

Oke, no one seems to know what I'm talking about or what my question is...

As many of you might know, Vaio drivers check if they are installed to the right model. There are dozends of reasons for vaio doing this but only minor of them offer profit to the customers!

The drivers and aps do this by looking up a file named "model.txt" in their Windows-directory (e.g.: c:\windows).

My problem: As I did an installation with a "anytime-upgrade-DVD" which is NOT from Sony but directly from Microsoft, for having a "clean install", I don't have such a file on my PC to look how they write it in this file.

Is it written in capital letters?
How would they write VGN-TZ160NG?
Capital letters?
Would they write 160N/G like in the manuals?

Please write here, what is written in your model.txt file so that I can understand how the syntax is.

Many thanks,
Johannes

EDIT:
I found one thread here in our archives saying it should be read as

But the text does not make sure if the quotation marks are necessary or just there to point out which part of the string has to be modyfied matching the desired drivers!

Please send me examples of your model.txt because there might be dozends of possible strings *SWT*

 

ok, found it out myself.
Just try installing a package you want to have and the installer will
1. search for the model.txt
2. read out your model identification code from the bios (vgn-xxyyzz)
3. create a file "model.txt" in the "\windows"-directory.

This file will contain nothing but the string identifying your computer, in my case
Model = "VGN-TZ90HS"

4. if the installer is complying with this type it will install or if not, it will reject finishing the installation. If it proceeds installing the driver, it will overrule the "microsoft driver signature-check".

So you just browse model.txt, change it to
Model = "{the desired driver type}"

Important:
the model type is written in capital letters!
no \, /, space or whatever
quotation marks around the model type.
Set the "read only" flags for either administrators or users! If not, the installer will change it back to your bios' serial number!

Now it should work, You'll geht an "process abortion"-notification, but thats only the "check number and write model.txt-file-process". But as it is just THIS process that will terminate the installer in case of model-type-mismatch, you're now free to install anything you want.

BE AWARE: You could literally install what ever you want, f.e.: drivers that dont work with your hardware, that are not signed to work with your OS, that conflict with your hardware... or even rock your hardware until it breaks.
SO:
1. think before you move
2. move while you are awake
3. write some notes up to which step it
worked fine or
killed your OS
or if the success was maybe in-evaluateable due to not already installed apps that work on that specific driver...
try on until it everything works.

don't blame me for killing your computer!

 

One other way to bypass this check is to use universal extractor (uniextract15.exe) to extract the real utility/driver installation and use that. This check code is a shell that sony puts on their driver/utility installations.