Help please with my new laptop.

[liquidsuite]

Hi there I have today bought my laptop after ages of looking around and getting advice. I have opened the box and taken laptop out. Look nice and shiny like all new things do. I am little confused with regard to window. I was told its installed on here which I am sure it is. Just charging so cant check. Also there is this upgrade windows Disc. Wheres my original windows cd for the windows that installed on my laptop. Its a sony Vaio brand new and would have expected a windows back uup cd. Please can someone advise better.

[rojash]

At a guess, what you think is an upgrade disk is the "Windows Anytime Upgrade" DVD. This disk contains ALL versions of Vista, and if you check, you will find that you have a licence key for a specific version (possibly stuck to the underside of the lap top). What this means is that you have a disk for the version you have paid for, but if you wish to upgrade to a different version, you can simply by a key top unlock that particular version and install it on your machine, without having to obtain another disk. The licensed version will have already been installed.

[Ethel]

You don't always get the Windows disks these days - but there should be a serial number (the key) on a hieroglyphic label on the upgrade cd OR stuck underneath the laptop.

Where ever it is make note of it.

I have just found that Sony do not provide recovery, backup or any other sort of Windows cd. Everything is in the 'recovery' partition of the hard drive, and the installed manual will tell you how to make your own back up recovery cd.

However, consider contacting Sony UK and ask them for the installation disks - you have paid for it, got the licence and I really do think this very shoddy practice from the 'big boys' should stop. Including the cds should be standard.

[liquidsuite]

Yeah I just phoned and they said you can make a 2 disc backup of the recovery thing. I have the windows sticker on back of laptop. Wonder why they cant give on disc already. Seems a bit odd. Oh well I can get much phone support until I have scanned and emailed copy of my reciept as proof of purchase and register there product. Then will call them to make sure on this whole windows part.

[liquidsuite]

Actually its a bit annoying that now my laptop has windows vista but my desktop still has old windows xp. I had hoped that I would be able to install my laptop windows onto my Desktop. In past when I bought new computer you get windows and then can install it on old one as well. So guess I need to buy a new windows just to have it on my desktop which seems a bit unfair. They should really provide new laptop or computer with windows on disc. I paid like almost �1000 so expected to have windows backup included.

[spotit3]

As far as I am aware if you specifically ask for the back-up disks they will post them out to you. Dell definitely do and I am almost sure Sony do likewise. They may try to put you off on the phone by saying you don't need them but if you stick to your guns they will send them out. I agree thry should send them out with the laptop but who listens to the consumer nowadays.

[fo3nix]

liquidsuite: unless you specifically need vista on the old machine, then don't bother installing it. Saving documents in vista will still work in XP and vice versa, they do work together.

Also, installing the new windows onto the old machine was likely illegal. They're just trying new methods to counteract this now.