Will Microsoft sell me installation disks for my OEM version?

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PTravel

Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony doesn't
provide installation disks -- if something goes wrong, the only option is to
re-install entirely, either from an image backup or from the original
installation that resides in a protected partition on the hard drive.
Re-installation from the hard drive takes 3 hours and installs all the demo
crapware that takes another hour to remove. Re-installing from the image
backup is slightly faster, but you run the risk of installing from a backup
created later than whatever damage you are trying to undo.

Will Microsoft sell me a proper set of installation disks?
 
PTravel said:
Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony
doesn't provide installation disks -- if something goes wrong, the only
option is to re-install entirely, either from an image backup or from the
original installation that resides in a protected partition on the hard
drive. Re-installation from the hard drive takes 3 hours and installs all
the demo crapware that takes another hour to remove. Re-installing from
the image backup is slightly faster, but you run the risk of installing
from a backup created later than whatever damage you are trying to undo.

Will Microsoft sell me a proper set of installation disks?
Click to expand...

You can buy OEM discs but it will cost the same as everyone else pays, you
do not get a discount because you already have one.
If you do buy one, do not use the key that comes with it though. Use the
key that is stickered on your laptop, that means the Vista you buy can be
used on another PC.
 
PTravel said:
Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony
doesn't provide installation disks -- if something goes wrong, the only
option is to re-install entirely, either from an image backup or from
the original installation that resides in a protected partition on the
hard drive. Re-installation from the hard drive takes 3 hours and
installs all the demo crapware that takes another hour to remove.
Re-installing from the image backup is slightly faster, but you run the
risk of installing from a backup created later than whatever damage you
are trying to undo.

Will Microsoft sell me a proper set of installation disks?
Click to expand...

Nope. You gotta buy a copy at a computer store and you'll have to
download all the drivers from Sony's web site. Next time refuse to buy
without a copy of Vista and the drivers.

Alias
 
Beck said:
You can buy OEM discs but it will cost the same as everyone else pays,
you do not get a discount because you already have one.
If you do buy one, do not use the key that comes with it though. Use
the key that is stickered on your laptop, that means the Vista you buy
can be used on another PC.
Click to expand...

That won't work as the key on the PC is for a branded OEM, not a generic
OEM.

Alias
 
Doesn't matter, OEM is OEM in this case, the key off of the Sony WILL in
fact work on a store bought OEM Vista CD.

--
 
Alias said:
That won't work as the key on the PC is for a branded OEM, not a generic
OEM.
Click to expand...

It should not matter as generally an OEM is an OEM. I managed to
intermingle my keys for XP.
 
Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony doesn't
provide installation disks.
Click to expand...

But will Sony sell them to you?

Sony is who you need to go to. Microsoft won't help in that regard.

Otherwise, you'll just have to buy a fresh copy of Vista.
--
Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
NOTICE: In-Newsgroup (and therefore off-topic) comments on my sig will
be cheerfully ignored, so don't waste our time.
 
Scott said:
But will Sony sell them to you?

Sony is who you need to go to. Microsoft won't help in that regard.
Click to expand...

Sony, at least the last time I spoke with them, will not.

I've mentioned, previously, that I'm a lawyer. I need to do some thinking
about this situation.
 
Since you bought, OEM and are not a Microsoft customer, No.
If you want install media and did not get it, Sony is your only source
unless you are willing to pay full price.

All the OEMs are required is to furnish some way to restore to original
condition and this requirement is often met using a hidden partition on the
hard drive.

Usually there is a way to make your own restore media.
Check your manual or contact Sony for details.

Or if nothing else meets with your approval, return the computer.
Be sure to write a letter to Sony explaining why you returned it and what
you bought instead.
 
PTravel said:
Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony
doesn't provide installation disks -- if something goes wrong, the only
option is to re-install entirely, either from an image backup or from the
original installation that resides in a protected partition on the hard
drive. Re-installation from the hard drive takes 3 hours and installs all
the demo crapware that takes another hour to remove. Re-installing from
the image backup is slightly faster, but you run the risk of installing
from a backup created later than whatever damage you are trying to undo.

Will Microsoft sell me a proper set of installation disks?
Click to expand...

How much time and effort are you willing to invest?
With WXP, all the files necessary to build a new installation CD exist
in the Windows folder and some of its subfolders, using some tools you
can download for free from the net. Google for info on
how to slipstream an XP service pack to build a new XP installation CD.
Maybe the info is already online on how to do the same for Vista.
Learning the slipstream process is nice, because it allows you to make
a CD that contains all Microsoft updates as of the date you make the CD.

Testing the resulting installation CD can be a problem. I found a
cheap 5-year old used desktop of the same brand as my laptop (not Sony),
and did my testing there until I was happy with it.

-Paul Randall
 
Slipstreaming is the process of adding service packs and updates to an
existing OS CD, it isn't going to help him, since there are no Vista service
packs available to slipstream, and he doesn't have any install media to
begin with, which is the subject of the OP.

--
 
Dave B. said:
Sony is not required to provide you with a CD, only a way of restoring the
software load as it shipped from the factory, you being a lawyer isn't
going to change that.
Click to expand...

Sony advertises their laptop as including Vista Business. There is nothing
in the marketing information, nor in the material I received from Sony
Style, that indicates that it does not come with Vista Business (which a
reasonable person would understand to mean "the Microsoft Vista Business
product"). I have to give some thought as to whether this constitutes a
Lanham Act violation, simple fraud, or some other violation.

Again, this is a technical forum. If you have technical expertise and wish
to share it, I'd welcome that. However, I have no interest in the opinion
of lay people as to the law. That's MY area of expertise.
 
Sony, at least the last time I spoke with them, will not.

I've mentioned, previously, that I'm a lawyer. I need to do some thinking
about this situation.
Click to expand...

Buy a copy of Acronis True Image Home v10 ($29.99 @ Newegg.com).

Uninstall all the crap you don't want.

Install Acronis.

Burn a disk image to DVD.

Even with a Vista disk, it's the best way to go.

--
Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
NOTICE: In-Newsgroup (and therefore off-topic) comments on my sig will
be cheerfully ignored, so don't waste our time.
 
Good Advice!

That hidden partition is going to take how much wasted space on the HDD --
for Vista Ultimate?...

Space that could otherwise be used for data.

One needs to take that into account when buying a HDD.

DSH
 
Jupiter Jones said:
Since you bought, OEM and are not a Microsoft customer, No.
If you want install media and did not get it, Sony is your only source
unless you are willing to pay full price.

All the OEMs are required is to furnish some way to restore to original
condition and this requirement is often met using a hidden partition on
the hard drive.

Usually there is a way to make your own restore media.
Check your manual or contact Sony for details.
Click to expand...

I've done that. However, that is not the same as being able to repair the
OS -- I'd lose all of my programs that were installed after the backup was
created, and I'm not particularly eager to spend hours putting everything
back each time some misbehaving driver or piece of software (or Vista bug)
corrupts the installation.
Or if nothing else meets with your approval, return the computer.
Be sure to write a letter to Sony explaining why you returned it and what
you bought instead.
Click to expand...

I'm seriously considering that. I've bought Vaio laptops from Sony before.
This is the first time they didn't provide a set of installation disks.
It's a shame, too, because this is a really nice computer and I like it a
lot. Perhaps I'll just buy an upgrade to Ultimate (though there's nothing
in Ultimate that I really want that isn't already in Business).
 
Paul Randall said:
How much time and effort are you willing to invest?
Click to expand...

A fair amount, if it gets me an install set.
With WXP, all the files necessary to build a new installation CD exist
in the Windows folder and some of its subfolders, using some tools you
can download for free from the net. Google for info on
how to slipstream an XP service pack to build a new XP installation CD.
Maybe the info is already online on how to do the same for Vista.
Learning the slipstream process is nice, because it allows you to make
a CD that contains all Microsoft updates as of the date you make the CD.
Click to expand...

Is the same true for Vista? XP isn't an issue for me -- it's running on my
other machines, and I have legal and licensed XP Pro install disks for them.
I need a Vista install set.
 
PTravel said:
Sony advertises their laptop as including Vista Business. There is
nothing in the marketing information, nor in the material I received from
Sony Style, that indicates that it does not come with Vista Business
(which a reasonable person would understand to mean "the Microsoft Vista
Business product"). I have to give some thought as to whether this
constitutes a Lanham Act violation, simple fraud, or some other violation.

Again, this is a technical forum. If you have technical expertise and
wish to share it, I'd welcome that. However, I have no interest in the
opinion of lay people as to the law. That's MY area of expertise.
Click to expand...

This method of installing Vista by companies has been going on a long time.
I am sure if it were illegal, other lawyers would have spotted it by now.
 
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