I
its_my_dime
Guest
UPGRADING SONY VAIO VGN TXN15P FROM XP PROFESSIONAL TO VISTA BUSINESS.
I'm posting this to add to the Microsoft data base and with the wish that
the experts keep it in the back of their mind should similar issues arise
with another user.
My "Vista Ready" Sony Vaio, bought at the end of 2006, came with Windows XP
Professional installed but with an upgrade disk to Vista Business that
followed a few months later.
Having recently bought desktops with Vista, I decided finally to upgrade the
Vaio.
The upgrade was an extremely difficult, frustrating and time consuming
process. Essentially the user is on his own. Sony's warranty people won't
help because the computer was bought more than a year ago; the extended
warranty people won't deal with software issues.
Based on experience, before the upgrade, I highly recommend the following:
· Buy a 1 GB quality generic memory chip to replace one of the two x
1/2 GB chips in the computer. Should cost in the $25 range. Follow the
installation instructions in the Vaio manual. Restart the computer to
insure that the memory is recognized. Vista will theoretically run on the
existing 1 GB of memory but the extra 1/2 GB significantly speeds up the
process.
· Back up all data files and program downloads, and locate all
program disks. While the upgrade should maintain existing data and
programs, some may get lost or corrupted.
· Download and run CCClean or a similar program, or use a Microsoft
service to remove temporary files, cookies, clear the recycle bin and clean
the registry.
· CREATE A FULL SET OF RESTORE DISKS. Test the disks by loading disk
1 and then turning off and restarting the computer. The Vista installation
will replace the hard drive XP restore partition with a Vista partition so
the only way to go back is with XP restore disks.
· Uninstall UPHClean (if present). It is not compatible with Vista.
· IMPORTANT: Search for both ZCfgSvc.exe and ifrmewrk.exe. Change
the .exe to .xxx These files, which conflict with Vista, can usurp 100% of
the processor and slow the installation of Vista and software to a crawl.
Unfortunately, the upgrade disk left them active it took a lot of searching
to isolate the problem.
· Have another computer with web access standing by in case there are
additional downloads or questions.
· Since there will be a lot to download after the upgrade, it is
useful to have a wired internet connection available.
After the initial upgrade, go to the Microsoft site and download the several
dozen upgrades to Vista and Defender.
Then, set a restore point and run a registry cleaner. Mine removed almost
2500 bad or useless entries. Also run a disk defrag program. Check the
events viewer under Administrative tools and deal with the errors that may
appear.
Install an antivirus program. The one on the Vista disk is past its renewal
date.
After all of this was completed, I decided that, based on experience with
other computers, Vista just wasn't working to full efficiency on the Vaio
and I couldn't improve it. It was slow and would sometimes hang. There were
numerous and differing events errors. I suspect there were legacies from XP
still left on the hard drive. Perhaps if Sony had provided for a clean
install, the process might have worked better.
So I reinstalled XP.
That, of course, took may hours and had its own issues. The hard disk is
wiped clean so everything has to be reinstalled. Sony has an amazing amount
of bloatware that needs to be removed after installation. There are the
many downloads from the Microsoft web site; programs to reinstall; settings
to input; data to move back.
Therefore, I do NOT recommend this upgrade, and nobody without strong
computer experience with XP AND Vista (and a lot of patience) should, in my
opinion, even try.
I spoke with Sony customer service whose response was: Sorry you had a
problem; Microsoft said the computer was Vista ready; we are not responsible
for the upgrade process.
The Vaio was actually fine with XP Professional. It is even better now with
the extra memory.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I'm posting this to add to the Microsoft data base and with the wish that
the experts keep it in the back of their mind should similar issues arise
with another user.
My "Vista Ready" Sony Vaio, bought at the end of 2006, came with Windows XP
Professional installed but with an upgrade disk to Vista Business that
followed a few months later.
Having recently bought desktops with Vista, I decided finally to upgrade the
Vaio.
The upgrade was an extremely difficult, frustrating and time consuming
process. Essentially the user is on his own. Sony's warranty people won't
help because the computer was bought more than a year ago; the extended
warranty people won't deal with software issues.
Based on experience, before the upgrade, I highly recommend the following:
· Buy a 1 GB quality generic memory chip to replace one of the two x
1/2 GB chips in the computer. Should cost in the $25 range. Follow the
installation instructions in the Vaio manual. Restart the computer to
insure that the memory is recognized. Vista will theoretically run on the
existing 1 GB of memory but the extra 1/2 GB significantly speeds up the
process.
· Back up all data files and program downloads, and locate all
program disks. While the upgrade should maintain existing data and
programs, some may get lost or corrupted.
· Download and run CCClean or a similar program, or use a Microsoft
service to remove temporary files, cookies, clear the recycle bin and clean
the registry.
· CREATE A FULL SET OF RESTORE DISKS. Test the disks by loading disk
1 and then turning off and restarting the computer. The Vista installation
will replace the hard drive XP restore partition with a Vista partition so
the only way to go back is with XP restore disks.
· Uninstall UPHClean (if present). It is not compatible with Vista.
· IMPORTANT: Search for both ZCfgSvc.exe and ifrmewrk.exe. Change
the .exe to .xxx These files, which conflict with Vista, can usurp 100% of
the processor and slow the installation of Vista and software to a crawl.
Unfortunately, the upgrade disk left them active it took a lot of searching
to isolate the problem.
· Have another computer with web access standing by in case there are
additional downloads or questions.
· Since there will be a lot to download after the upgrade, it is
useful to have a wired internet connection available.
After the initial upgrade, go to the Microsoft site and download the several
dozen upgrades to Vista and Defender.
Then, set a restore point and run a registry cleaner. Mine removed almost
2500 bad or useless entries. Also run a disk defrag program. Check the
events viewer under Administrative tools and deal with the errors that may
appear.
Install an antivirus program. The one on the Vista disk is past its renewal
date.
After all of this was completed, I decided that, based on experience with
other computers, Vista just wasn't working to full efficiency on the Vaio
and I couldn't improve it. It was slow and would sometimes hang. There were
numerous and differing events errors. I suspect there were legacies from XP
still left on the hard drive. Perhaps if Sony had provided for a clean
install, the process might have worked better.
So I reinstalled XP.
That, of course, took may hours and had its own issues. The hard disk is
wiped clean so everything has to be reinstalled. Sony has an amazing amount
of bloatware that needs to be removed after installation. There are the
many downloads from the Microsoft web site; programs to reinstall; settings
to input; data to move back.
Therefore, I do NOT recommend this upgrade, and nobody without strong
computer experience with XP AND Vista (and a lot of patience) should, in my
opinion, even try.
I spoke with Sony customer service whose response was: Sorry you had a
problem; Microsoft said the computer was Vista ready; we are not responsible
for the upgrade process.
The Vaio was actually fine with XP Professional. It is even better now with
the extra memory.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.