Hi

I ordered a TR3/SP which is a Japanese edition. I dont really feel comfortable with the Japanese OS, and would like to install English XP on it. I am sure I will manage the install, I am just looking for info on the apps, and drivers.

Which model of US/European would match up to my model? I would like to have the Applications, etc, in English. Can I just install XP on it, and download the Apps, and drivers from Sony’s site, which belongs to a TR3A for instance?

ANother thing, I would like to have it restorable to original state. Obviously I will want to get rid of the partition that holds all the install info, so how can I back that up? Is that a way to reproduce an Install CD/DVD that has all the info and drivers in their original state?

Thanks for any help,

Ben

[quote author=“bence8810”]...Another thing, I would like to have it restorable to original state. Obviously I will want to get rid of the partition that holds all the install info, so how can I back that up? Is that a way to reproduce an Install CD/DVD that has all the info and drivers in their original state?
...

Your TR-series comes with a utility that lets you create a set of restore CDs (9 CDs) or, if you have the burner, restore DVDs. The first thing I did was create my set of restore CDs… just in case

Follow this thread to learn how to install the O/S from scratch: http://www.siliconpopculture.com/sonytr/viewtopic.php?t=807

Hi

Thanks for the info. I am getting the laptop with the Japanese OS.  Can you help me in locating the software you mentioned, to do the restore CD’s burn? My unit has a DVD burner so I may as well burn the DVD for restore.

Is there any special procedure with that? I am just worried, that even if I find the app, it will ask me all sorts of questions in Japanese before it starts the DVD burning, and I wont be able to answer them due to my limited Japanese knowledge.

Thanks
Ben

all the driver, utilities you need for a new windows, go to vaio-link europe
ftp.vaio-link.com

Under
PUB\Vaio\Original\

Get TR5 Driver and Utilities

Hi

Thanks, I am getting the two zip files you suggested. Are you certain that they will work with the TR3/SP? The TR5 is pretty much the same except the CPU’s MHz? If all things are same like Chipset, controller cards, chips, video card, etc, it will probably work.

Would you say the same drivers will drive the TR3 just as well as the TR5?

Thanks

Ben

I once loaded a system image of TR2 on my TR5, everything worked as it should.

just go ahead, besides the TR5 drivers are newer :D

Hi

Thanks, I will try it soon, the laptop should arrive to me any minute now. Tracking shows its already here… Cannot wait.

Once I get it, I will install it.

So you say, that I install a fresh XP, and then the drivers one by one, and done? I heard about tricky Vaio Libraries, that can give headaches. What should I be looking out for?

Also, should I then back up my system, and burn the Restore CD’s? If so, how? I will have a Japanese OS on it, so I wont be too sophisticated with using it.

Thanks

Ben

you should backup your japanese system before installing a new OS if for some reason you still want to revert the TR back to its original state.

My TR5B had a japanese windows preinstalled, for me I just got rid of the hidden restore partition and installed a new OS since I don’t need to keep the original OS.

As for Sony Library, the Utility file that you download from vaio-link europe already have it, just extract and run the utility and let it install all libraries, utilities itself, then reboot.

One thing tricky is the wireless driver, i am not sure the driver file includes the right driver you need. Mine has an atheros chip, but your TR3/SP may have a intel wireless chip which you may have to download its driver elsewhere.

Search this forum on how to burn the restore partition to CD/DVDs, and on how to get rid of the hidden partition.

Hi

Yes, I would love to back up my OS before I do the install, but I dont know how. Of course I can back it up with the NTBACKUP utility, but I heard the TR series after the TR2, came with a convenient backup wizard, that will burn CD’s or DVD’s of the current OP system.

That is what I am looking for. How is that done?

Thanks

Ben

Search this forum on how to burn the restore partition to CD/DVDs, and on how to get rid of the hidden partition.

keyword: hidden partition for example

I didn’t backup the jap OS, so I can’t help you on this, but why do you want to backup the jap os?  except for restricted warranty policy from your dealer (if there is any), i don’t see any reason doing so.

Hi

The reason I am trying to obtain a copy of the Original OS is that if anything goes wrong, I can go back to that. I really dont feel confident with using different drivers. For one thing, I downloaded the thing you said, and the WLAN drivers there are for Intel PRO card, and my card is an Atheros a/b/g card, so that wont work right away. I dont know what else might be different, Japanese people like proprietary stuff, that isnt released to different countries.

Anyways, I am sure I will manage to get everything instaled one way or the other, just I would prefer having a Restore disk set.

Thanks

Ben

Hi

Yesterday, the laptop came in with EMS post, and I quickly booted it up. It is amazing, I mean my mind was blown. I have never seen the TR series in live, and it is just superb. The condition of the particular unit I got my hands on is as if new. Perfect.

I managed to find the Recovery options thanks to the 3 months I spent in Japan, and learnt Hiragana-Katakana. I was able to read the menu, and I did the recovery. It made me one DVD and a CD. It had two options, 8CDs, or 1DVD and 1CD. The CD in my case is the boot media, I guess the DVD which holds all the data.

Now, I am installing XP on it, and then the drivers. I will report back how it went.

Thanks for support guys,

Ben

My japanese TR5B also comes with an atheros a/b/g chip, the original Lanexpress driver sucks, our chip can do much more. I suggest you use the lastest atheros general driver which gives you atheros own “Extended Range” and “Super A/G 108mb” functions.

download from IBM
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-52527

also use a simple registry patch to restore to default windows login method, as atheros driver will disable the welcome screen and fast user switch for security reason.
http://rapidshare.de/files/7172082/Gina_patch.reg.html

but anyway, if you prefer the original wlan driver for tr3/sp, here is the link, the first one is a firmware update for our atheros chip, also the driver.
http://vcl.vaio.sony.co.jp/support/note/pcg-tr3sp.html

Hi

Thanks for the update. I will look into the Atheros advancement.

I guess I am luckier than I thought I would be, as I found a folder on the Recovery DVD I made yesterday /VAIO/Drivers/ and all drivers are there, and now, my laptop is already installed with all the factory drivers. I just want to get it working quickly now, and I will think about the updates later. So far I have XP SP2, and every dtriver installed. The Apps are still coming up now, and I dont want to install the Japanese ones, that would be no use for me, unless they have English enabled. I will check that.

If anyone is looking to get the TR3/SP ‘s original stuff, let me know. I have all the Apps, Drivers, and Hotfixes.

Thanks, will report back with the result.

Ben

the updated wlan driver from vaio japan is in english.

Thanks

I will install it now. Also, from the Original apps, i was already able to install the Shared Library, and it was in English. I guess it swithes language depending on what locale the machine uses.

By the way, my camera works. I cannot believe it, i was so worried that it might be one of the non functional ones, but it works. I am glad.

Thanks

Ben