Upgrade Vista Blue Screen - VGN-AR21M

[ryukin]

Hi guys,

Sorry if this has already been posted previously (I searched the forum and couldn't find a similar post).

I have a VGN-AR21M and my Vista upgrade disks arrived today, and I began to install it. I chose 'Upgrade' so that I could keep my files, but when it gets passed me accepting the licence agreement it blue screens on me and my laptop restarts.

I haven't tried the other install option as I want to keep all my files.

Any idea on a fix? Or if I have to use the other option?

Thanks.

[tonybeard]

yEah that happened to me installing XP 64 bit on a desktop. I reset the cmos and cleaned the disk and that worked but alas you cannot on yur shiny lappie. All I can suggest is take the battery out for ten minutes and power off completely and try again otherwise your motherboard is being a mother. Can the bus be reset with the lappie Rich Thalamus anyone????

[ryukin]

Gah, piddle. I've only had the lappie 4 months! Just to be clear, if I did select 'Clean Install' I would lose absolutely everything currently on here, correct?

[jumbles1971]

I had a BSOD Loop Of Death when I tried upgrading instead of doing a clean install.

Do you have C: AND 😧 drives?

If you do, back everything up on to the 😧 drive then when you start installing the upgrade, you only need to format the C: drive and when you install Vista onto the C: drive everything on the 😧 drive will be safe. At least that's the theory. I'd back everything up onto an external drive just to be on the safe side.

[Blencogo]

The Sony Express Upgrade discs only support a clean install - is that not made clear in the instructions?

Sony will only fully support your Vaio during its warranty period running Vista if you have used the Express Upgrade discs and completed a clean install.

[dazwan]

here my great words of advice FORGET INSTALLING VISTA, u will waste valuable time and it is slow and many things arnt compatible e.g. my game hax lol and ull regret spending time begging for drivers e.c.t.
i got my laptop with vista pre installed, 2GHZ dual core with 2GB RAM (667MHZ) and 200GB hard drive and running on vista make it feel like a 5 year old computer on XP

[ryukin]

Cheers for all your help guys!! Nope, it shows you how to do a clean install in the manual, but then the disk also tells you how to keep your files by doing an upgrade (which doesn't work!)

I had a BSOD Loop Of Death when I tried upgrading instead of doing a clean install.

Do you have C: AND 😧 drives?

If you do, back everything up on to the 😧 drive then when you start installing the upgrade, you only need to format the C: drive and when you install Vista onto the C: drive everything on the 😧 drive will be safe. At least that's the theory. I'd back everything up onto an external drive just to be on the safe side.

Good plan! I'll give it a shot *crosses fingers*

Yeah, I've heard mixed reviews about Vista!! I suppose I've got to give it a shot though. After all, Sony sent it for free!