Key Question Regarding XP Pro OEM

[`danny]

I have been having a hell of a time getting my new Sony Vaio to perform the way I want it to. It takes approx. 15 mins just to boot up and it is just slower than molasses. At first I suspected malware of sorts and performed every scan on the dark side of the moon and no trace of malware came up. The system is clean yet it is bogged down by something and I just want to nuke the installation. I however, do not wish to use the VAIO recovery discs that came with my laptop because they come with software and stuff that I do not need. I would rather use a plain-old XP Pro disc I got and then use my OEM serial key. I am wondering if this is possible or will the new installation say the key is invalid?

Thanks,

Dan

[DeaconFrost]

There are mixed answers on here, but some people will tell you, that if you use an OEM disc and your key, you'll be fine.

If you can't go that route, use the recovery discs, and between manual clean ups and PC De-crapifier, you can get an OEM system running very well.

[Demon10000]

With XP, you'll need a key the coresponds to your installation media. Your OEM key will need to match the OEM of the CD that your using to install.

If you're using a retail or Volume License media, you won't be able to use your OEM CD.

A clever person may be able to find information on how to convert a CD from one version to another, but that type of conversation isn't appropriate here.



On a side note -- check to make sure you hard drive hasn't slipped into PIO mode. Thats a pretty common symptom for a system to be sluggish. You might want to give bootvis a try if it's just the startup that is slow.

[`danny]

I will check up on that and see if that's an issue. I was also going to ask if I use the vaio key with an OEM disc I got from Microsoft (Work has actionpack subscription) would that work?

Thanks guys

-Dan

[Joe Average]

Use the Sony Restore discs, do a full factory restore, then run the PC Decrapifier on it - that'll clean off the majority of the Sony-related bullshit that Sony tosses into their OEM installations. After a clean factory restore, there's typically over 50 items on the Add/Remove Programs list, and 30 of 'em are from Sony which is absolutely horrendous.

The issue with the key is you'd need the original Sony installation media - and I don't mean the factory restore CDs or DVD, I mean the Sony version of XP that's on that laptop because it's BIOS-tied to that hardware. Installing using that version of XP tied to Sony hardware wouldn't need a Product Key (the one on the sticker won't typically work for an installation) nor would activation be an issue either.

I had a customer bring me a relatively new (came out around October 2006, before Vista did) and when he dropped it off it took like 14 minutes to get to the Desktop. I got started on it, made the factory discs using the Sony utility to create them, backed up the personal data he wanted saved, wiped it clean, did the factory restore, cut out all the bullshit by hand (I don't use stuff like PC Decrapifier personally; I do it myself), updated everything across the board, hit it with Bootvis for a few test and optimize passes, and when he picked it up he swore it wasn't the laptop he'd dropped off and demanded an explanation.

It booted in 14.2 seconds, something it had never ever done even when he bought it brand new. :)

I told him to never load software that starts when the PC does (he had 4 different instant messaging programs, all trying to load when the laptop booted, so that had to go). I told him not to load up the silly weather crap, check it manually as required or use a better utility, etc. Common sense stuff, really, that's all it is. And got him to buy NOD32 instead of the eternally shitty Symantec/Norton AV software that came preinstalled from the factory.

[koretex]

I have personally done this on 100's of Sony, Dell, HP, Toshiba, Acer, Alienware, Compaq, etc., etc.

Here is the trick....it has to be a OEM CD w/ SP2 integrated....it will not work with an original XP OEM disc or with a SP1 disc....no clue about SP3 OEM as I am no longer in the IT field, but if you have a XP w/SP2 OEM CD it will 100% work with any pre SP3 OEM key.

At most it won't activate (this happened to me very rarely...im talking a handful of times out of 100's of reformats) in that case just call the 1-800 # and go through the automated activation and you'll be fine.

Word of advice though grab all the drivers first and burn them or throw them on USB before you reformat :)