VAIO TR5MP - Windows Recovery issues, language problem

[Heady]

Hi there,

I bought a TR5MP VAIO Notebook from a seller on eBay. He unfortunately installed the French Windows XP. Now I'm only speaking German, so I wanted to know how I can install a German Windows with the German recovery CD?

I tried nearly everything, but everytime I want to recover the system with the German recovery disc (I've got a german, a french, an italian and an englisch disc -> probably since I live in Switzerland, we have three languages here) it says that the notebook is incompatible to this language.

Installing my own Windows XP works well but then I don't have all this VAIO Software stuff which I need to work well with the notebook. But even after a complete delete of the partitions the VAIO notebook can only be reinstalled with the French disc.

Yup, that's my problem. Seems to me like a problem for the Sony VAIO support.

By the way...I read that the englisch verison is multi-lingual? Means that you can change the desktop language even after installation? With the french version this doesn't work.

Greets

Heady

[Heady]

Nope...tried that as one of the first steps after I got the notebook, doesn't work. 😞

Hmm!

Greets

Heady

[kee-lo_]

There's no BIOS update by any chance?

[Heady]

Doesn't seem so...and even if this would be possible the chance that I could install another language version of windows would be small, because this security lock seems to be hidden deep in this notebook, probably deeper than the bios...but don't ask me how this is possible.

It's ridiculous that even Sony can't reinstall a windows in another language!

[kee-lo_]

They really shout have this written on the box in BOLD writing size 72 at least....

[Heady]

Yup, definately!

But I got it now...it took some time and lot of patience but in the end everythings working now.

I installed my own Windows XP on the second partition and extracted all the German Software from the German recovery CD with kcap.exe . the vaiovillage.com forums offer some good instructions.

Well, then I needed the sony shared libraries which i took from the support page for the US TR5AP and they're working fine. These libraries bring you back the hotkey feature (camera acces, volume control, etc.) . After that you have to install the extracted applications (not everything works, but most of it).

So at the moment I'm running my German WinXP with everything else working, if anyone needs a detailed explanation, just ask.

Now I have to wipe out the OEM Windows...somehow...hmm...i need the free space on the first patition. Any idea how?

Greets

Heady

[William]

Very pleased that it works for you, Vaio Village can be a great source of info (as well as here!) and USA Sony support seems so much better.

Regarding the installation on the D drive is there no way you could repeat the installation with a full format using the Sony recovery disk on the C Drive (and downloads) then install your own XP over the top?

William

[Heady]

I can't use the recovery disc to format partitions, the only way it probably will work is by doing it with my own winxp version and it's boot installation feature.

I'll have a look into it.

Greets

Heady

[Woody27]

Vaio Village can be a great source of info

Agreed!

For the more technically challenging problems and upgrades I have to say it is probably my fist port of call!

But ClubVAIO is friendlier! :smileygrin:

Heady - glad you got it sorted out in the end... ...this is a typical example of where Sony seems to 'come off the rails'... ...it's a pity when their products are so beautifully designed!

CW

[kee-lo_]

So glad it's sorted Heady
I'd use Norton Ghost to make a copy of the disk so thats it's easier next time round.

[Heady]

Well, I just installed my windows version new on the first partition...so i had the chance to repeat the installing process of the drivers (etc.). Well, mostly everything's working, except for the Sony Camera VJ Screensaver. It worked with the first installation (the one on the false parition). I use version 1.1 here from the vaio-link pages for the tr5mp, but perhaps there's a version 1.0 out there? Thanks for any hint.

Greets

Heady