Vista - Will Microsoft sell me installation disks for my OEM version?

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" <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message
news:O1rgE9pWHHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> 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?

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 wrote:
> 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?

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

"PTravel" <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> wrote

> Will Microsoft sell me a proper set of installation disks?

"Only if you shell out the money for them" is the answer I would expect to
hear.

--
Bob
http://www.kanyak.com

Beck wrote:
>
> "PTravel" <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message
> news:O1rgE9pWHHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> 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?
>
> 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.

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.

--
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"Alias" <aka@masked&anonymous.cl> wrote in message
news:uuxjvCqWHHA.4636@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> That won't work as the key on the PC is for a branded OEM, not a generic
> OEM.
>
> Alias

"Alias" <aka@masked&anonymous.cl> wrote in message
news:uuxjvCqWHHA.4636@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Beck wrote:
>>
>> "PTravel" <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message
>> news:O1rgE9pWHHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> 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?
>>
>> 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.
>
> That won't work as the key on the PC is for a branded OEM, not a generic
> OEM.

It should not matter as generally an OEM is an OEM. I managed to
intermingle my keys for XP.

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:43:46 -0800, "PTravel"
<ptravel@travelersvideo.com> spake thusly:

>Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony doesn't
>provide installation disks.

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" <geekboy@angrykeyboarder.comatose> wrote in message
news:g439u2d564rk0dagudvphaidmbdtqicblj@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:43:46 -0800, "PTravel"
> <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> spake thusly:
>
>>Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony
>>doesn't
>>provide installation disks.
>
> But will Sony sell them to you?
>
> Sony is who you need to go to. Microsoft won't help in that regard.

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.

>
> 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.

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.

--
----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.db-pc.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"PTravel" <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message
news:ORGMipqWHHA.4872@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> "Scott" <geekboy@angrykeyboarder.comatose> wrote in message
> news:g439u2d564rk0dagudvphaidmbdtqicblj@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:43:46 -0800, "PTravel"
>> <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> spake thusly:
>>
>>>Vista Business came pre-installed on my new Sony Vaio laptop. Sony
>>>doesn't
>>>provide installation disks.
>>
>> But will Sony sell them to you?
>>
>> Sony is who you need to go to. Microsoft won't help in that regard.
>
> 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.