reinstalling windows 7 from recovery DVDs or a clean install?

[behrooz82]

Hi everyone,

I bought a Sony Vaio laptop almost 4 years ago with a genuine windows 7 on, and I immediately made 3 recovery DVDs (I'm not sure if they are called recovery or backup DVDs). I have used the original windows up until now, but after 4 years I feel the system is pretty slow because it has been affected by viruses. Now I wonder if I should use the recovery DVDs or any other way of reinstalling windows, because I need to get rid of all the viruses or anything that is slowing down the system. Or would a clean install be better? or should I use a windows 7 DVD to install a new windows? I don't need my files or programs sine I have already backed up all of them. All I need is to make sure that the viruses are gone for good. I would really appreciate it if someone could possibly help me and tell me the difference between these methods and which one would be best for my situation. Thanks a lot in advance for your support.

 

[gregrocker]

Since you'd ask it tells me you're enough of a tech enthusiast that you'd appreciate the better performance from doing a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

Everything needed to get and keep a perfect install is in the blue links, compiling what has worked best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here since Win7 beta. In fact you'll keep a perfect install as long as you stick with the tools and methods suggested.

Be sure to read the Special Note for Vaio owners at the end as there is sometimes a small amount of Sony software than needs to be installed for functions you need like keyboard backlighting, cam if you want to see yourself (it works fine with just the driver otherwise) or function keys if you use them for volume, brightness, etc.

And we'll be here to help you every step of the way. If it doesn't work out like you want you can always use your Recovery disks, but we've never had anyone need to do that before as we've never had a single complaint from those who finally get to enjoy native Win7 performance without the bloatware.

 

[Andyrids]

Sony Vaio if your doing an install from a Win 7 disk rather than a recovery there is a specific installation order and it does make a difference to system stability if you choose to ignore the correct order !

You can get all the drivers from the Sony support site... if you are missing any (usually the firmware extension parser) you can insert Recovery Disk 1 and allow it to autorun it will allow you access to install the default drivers, and also you will find the webcam software in there usually under the software section...
But do not try and install all the drivers from that disk in one go ! as it will not install them in the correct order !

Correct order you must follow as below:

1.Audio Driver
2.Bluetooth Driver
3.Chipset Driver
4.Memory Stick
Enable use of Sony memory cards e.g. SD (secure digital)
5.Memory Card Reader/Writer
SD and MMC (secure digital/multimedia cards).
6.Modem
7.Network
8.Video
8a.If you have Dolby install its control program and driver at this stage.
9.Wireless LAN
10.Sony Shared Library
Required for other Sony applications (Notebook Utilities) to function correctly.
11.Notebook Control Device
Installs essential system components that enable Sony utilities (Notebook Utilities) to run properly.
12.Sony Notebook Utilities
Installs the VAIO software component required for Function keys operation.

Do not install the Battery Check !!! all that driver does is stops you from using a non Sony replacement battery.

Keep checking in Device manager after each driver install !
Almost everything in System Devices and USB controlers will need updating manually from the Sony Drivers .inf files no "!" will be displayed to indicate this fact !!!.... Do this by extracting the driver to a folder and in Device manager update driver and browse to that folder.

Be prepared to spend an hour or so doing battle with the SD card drivers, they do not play nice at all on the Sony Vaio's

If you do this any-other way with a Sony Vaio it will start to get random BSOD's and freezes after a while, could be a few days could be a few months but it will happen... Need me to explain any section in more detail then no problem just ask and good luck

 

[AddRAM]

I really think the network drivers should be #1 on the list

 

[Andyrids]

I really think the network drivers should be #1 on the list

With other systems your probably right, but this is Sony were talking about lol they do some pretty strange things to their electronic goods... Honestly I done this way to many times with various Vaio's and found that order to be stable
And that's the only reason for me posting the info to save the guy days and days of frustration wondering why the hell things just don't work correctly, I been there done that...

 

[gregrocker]

Are you installing XP? Why would you line up and install all of those drivers to a driver-complete OS? We've helped many over the years here with Vaio and the only caveat for that model reported to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 is shown in the Special Note for Vaio owners at the end of the tutorial.

A major cause of problems over the years in Win7 is using XPired methods to install a bunch of drivers into a driver-complete OS. It isn't necessary and can be problematic. It's likely the snafu's you encountered were of your own making as you injected a bunch of poorly-written crapware that Win7 doesn't need or want.

The Factory OEM install of Win7 is the worst possible install one can have. You're not even running native Win7 with all that crapware riding on its back. It conflicts with much better versions built into Win7.

 

[Andyrids]

@Gregrocker Nope its Win7 I'm referring to and I hear what your saying about crapware and badly written drivers... BUT the Vaio's components do not function to their full extent unless you use the Sony drivers. Th only ones you could remove from that list would be:
1.Bluetooth
2.Chipset
3.Ethernet
And obtain the latest SATA drivers from Intel (you have to do that anyway if you have a replacement drive over 500gb in the machine)
Granted the Vaio will work from the Win7 installed drivers and if you install the Event drivers then you have the Sony special buttons and shortcut keys working again (like it says in your tut) but the SD card ports and other Mem stick ports and other Sony specific stuff won't function correctly, along with the Dolby and also the Graphics card unless you want to hack up lots of .ini files to get a manufactures graphics driver to install. The Vaio will run on the Win7 one but you loose all the cards features... The only one it will take is the Sony one without performing major surgery on .inf and .ini files and then praying...

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to ruffle your feathers or even question your expert advice, and I agree any factory OEM sucks badly in comparison, what I am saying is a Vaio is just not happy unless you use Sony drivers you don't need to use their OEM crapped up version of the Win7 or XP operating system, they do actually make it easy to obtain the driver from the recovery disks or even download them if you wish to go your own route with a retail version of Win7...

 

[SIW2]

Do your recovery discs have a bunch of .sny files?

Ican open .sny , but they are now using .sn2 files. Any idea how to acces the .sn2 files?

 

[gregrocker]

Recovery Disks are dated the day they're shipped or worse have the original years-old drivers in them. Do not use these drivers. Use the drivers Win7 provides then if there are issues we will resolve them.

What was the problem with your card readers and GPU exactly with the Win7 drivers? Or did you not even try them?

This may be model-specific. Please state the model w/ extension, exact issues, and resolution for google to tag, and I may add a link to it in tutorial.

 

[Andyrids]

Recovery Disks are dated the day they're shipped or worse have the original years-old drivers in them. Do not use these drivers. Use the drivers Win7 provides then if there are issues we will resolve them.

What was the problem with your card readers and GPU exactly with the Win7 drivers? Or did you not even try them?

This may be model-specific. Please state the model w/ extension, exact issues, and resolution for google to tag, and I may add a link to it in tutorial.

GPU Win7 installed a generic driver rather than an Nvidia one (windows update did detect a better/updated driver and tried to install it but failed) problem being Sony done something to the chipset so normal Nvidia drivers won't install only the Sony version will... (like I said earlier unless you want to butcher .inf and .ini files and pray)
The SD slots problem being no matter what Win7 will not recognise them correctly and the Sony specific ones are simply not available to use, if you do get one to work with the Win7 drivers it will corrupt the card it is trying read / write to.... The standard SD slot seems to work correctly though it can not be used for "ready boost" where as if you use Sony drivers it can. (that alone tells me Win7 is missing something there from its driver)
I do not recall all the model numbers of the Sony laptops I have re-installed / repaired but the one I have is VGN-AW41MF

Another thing to note there is many versions of the Vaio where the recovery disks will not install to a new HDD ! the result is always a BSOD if you do manage to get them to install even, if your system drive fails and you want to use the recovery disks you have to buy a drive from Sony... But the recovery disks will still allow you to extract the drivers without problem if your using a different drive.

I can type all day and list many more reasons why Sony equipment simply does not work correctly or even work at all sometimes without using the Sony drivers.... An exception to the rule is the built in webcam that seems fine...

Contrary to what could be popular belief I do know what I'm talking about hell I been doing this for waaaay to many years now and what you saying and your guides are correct and very good at the same time, however Sony is a different kettle of fish and even more obnoxious than some Dell systems !

EDIT: P.s. if your seriously interested in adding additional info to your tut regarding Sony then I have one sat right here waiting for a new HDD the laptop is same model as the one I am using now, I could take a few notes whilst I am doing it I guess.

 

[gregrocker]

Sure, that's what I was hoping for. Your addenda summarized tightly for which you'll be credited. You can even write your own tutorial once you settle in here and it will be prioritized in Google searches

We solve most OEM Recov Disk failures here by having them Quick Wipe the HDD with Diskpart Clean CMD.

 

[Andyrids]

Sure, that's what I was hoping for. Your addenda summarized tightly for which you'll be credited. You can even write your own tutorial once you settle in here and it will be prioritized in Google searches

We solve most OEM Recov Disk failures here by having them Quick Wipe the HDD with Diskpart Clean CMD.

Ok Gregrocker, I did that reinstall and took a couple of screenshots of Device Manager showing the devices before and after installing Sony drivers so you can see how differently they are detected afterwards. I figured since were don't quite see eye to eye on using all of the Sony drivers I would just attempt to document the one's that really are needed to enable full Sony functionality again, Display Adapter, SD cards, Memory Stick, give me a few days to condense my ramblings into something that is actually legible to send you lol