Removing crapware on new Sony VAIO laptop

STU9000 · 26 Feb 2012

OK all systems go, everything running smoothly so far upon installation of winamp and virtual DJ.

Accidentally installed this app called SweetIM which was on advert banner placed at the top of one of these links explaining how to install Take Ownership.. Not sure if it uninstalled correctly but checked the registry by doing an sfc /scannow in an elevated command prompt after anyway. Got some folder still in the programs folder which is annoying.

Oh and 7 disks for the recovery? cf. four using VAIO care.

Once I get everything I want installed then I will do a proper back-up to an ext drive and see how it goes from there. Thanks to all for the assistance, couldn't have done it without you!

gregrocker · 26 Feb 2012

7 disks using what recovery? Use external for WIn7 backup image: Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

STU9000 · 26 Feb 2012

gregrocker said:

7 disks using what recovery? Use external for WIn7 backup image: Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Those are the steps I followed. 6 recovry and 1 repair boot discs.

Is that not right? It said I might need up to 42GB for it!

gregrocker · 26 Feb 2012

That would be for the Vaio Factory Recovery, correct? Did it give you a DVD option to use less disks? The reason I ask is that with more disks it becomes less likely it will complete.

The only method I would use for Win7 backup imaging is to save it to an external HD, after you have it set up and running best.

STU9000 · 26 Feb 2012

I thought I'd got rid of the vaio factory recovery settings, are you saying I've not done it it right? I'm going to install a few basic apps like chrome and that then do a recovery back up whatever to an ext drive. Do I need to create a new partition or can I just save the file somewhere- I want to rearrange some of my ext drive and reformat them so might want to move the file.

STU9000 · 26 Feb 2012

EDIT- trying to delete this but don't have the privelege... yet? Anyway- ignore.

STU9000 · 26 Feb 2012

I can create a recovery back up on an ext drive now, got plenty of space only it was formatted to MS-DOS (FAT32) using Disk Utility on Mac OSX. Not sure if it makes a difference but was going to reformat another drive using Win 7 which would be NTFS I think, not sure what the difference is and what difference it would make to an ext backup...

EDIT- apparently it does have to be formatted to NTFS for this to work, so I need to juggle some data around and reformat my portable drive before I can do this.

STU9000 · 26 Feb 2012

OK I've got a 750GB partitioned drive that I want to convert from Mac OS Extended to NTFS. It's partitioned, the question is can I reformat one partition at a time because that would be really dandy if I could. Already got on 420Gb sized partition wwhich pretty much matches the HDD capacity on my Vaio so that would be really hand to just keep it that way.

I'm going to test this theory out on a USB stick to see if it works.

EDIT OK I tried this on a 4GB stick, partitioned into two Mac OS Extended drives. Win 7 only recognised one half and prompted me to reformat it. Tried reformatting the second partition to MS-DOS (FAT) but Win 7 still doesn't see it.

And now it can't see my 750GB partitioned drive which I think was formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

EDIT EDIT OK partitions are showing up in diskmgmt so looking into playing around with that, will report back.... went back to Mac and reformatted one partition to MS-DOS (FAT) then came back into diskmgmt and now reformatting it to NTFS... which is taking forever..

STU9000 · 27 Feb 2012

OK so just created a recovery back-up onto my newly formatted partition on my portable samsung 750GB drive, took about 40GB of space again. Backed up System Reserve (System), (C:) (System) and Recovery (System) Doesn't show up in explorer but I assume all the stuff I need is there..

Now let's see if my MAC recognises the other Mac OS formatted drive when I plug it in..

gregrocker · 27 Feb 2012

This is a WIn7 Backup image? Did it force you to include Recovery partition? It's fine if you really want it in the image, but I wonder why if it required including it.