I'd use the Windows partition manager to shrink the Windows partition as well.

Then either windows has decided to turn on automatic updates itself (I know, but I've herd of that happening before) or he's turned on automatic updates manually.

Not hard to change it back to what is IMO the sanest setting- "Check for updates but let me choose whether to downlaod and install them".

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_to_...utoupdate.html

Updates are less annoying than leaving some security hole and getting hacked.

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Who cares if m$ vista gets hacked? There's no mailer, no personal information, no data. it's never run except once a year for something and all I have to do is change the wifi password and it's neutered altogether. And I do have a backup, so I can just overwrite it again.

Advice taken; Thank You TobiSGD

I'd rather use the Windows Partition MGR first to shrink and than go and get the ISO of Fedora and burn it to cd/dvd. From there I'll proceed with installing Fedora.

I still have to burn the 5 disks (create the recovery media disks)that the Sony documentation advises me.
I need to purchase more DVD+r's otherwise I would have already proceeded. Once I complete this step first than I'll proceed with your and zQUEz's advice and instruction.

I personally choose what Cascade9 said:

"check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install"

I don't always install every update; like internet explorer for example; as I use firefox-

zQUEZ:


I got it; " just boot from a live cd"

You mentioned: "Fedora has the latest greatest packages" You made things clear.
Clarification is very important and details are as well to me. Thanks for taking the time.

Although resizing ntfs is best done with windows partitioning tools it will only resize upto 1/2 of the installed OS depending on the size of the drive you may have to use a live-cd to accomplish getting down to 60 or 80Gigs

Not sure if this Vaio has Unified Extensible Firmware Interface BIOS or not but I'm about to tab F2 and find out. If so what kind of hoop jumping do you recommend?

I see from your advice that this will be interesting to say the least.

The live cd that you have mentioned; I will have to go; find it online, and obtain it right?

Agreed, it's a more sensible option. I just couldn't care less, because the first time it's hacked, vista is gone. But even I use firefox.

For your case then it doesnt matter much, if at all.

I always get IE updates. IE is so intergrated into windows and used for the updating process, so its IMO risky not getting IE updates.

Went into the BIOS and found the BIOS Version an RO# and researched it some.
Of course Sony's name is all over the # but so is this Insyde Corporation that design's and manufacturers this new
type of UEFI BIOS. I still don't have any clarification on if this laptop is indeed UEFI or not so I e-mailed Insyde
and asked them for clarification.

Sony (couldn't tell me anything) didn't know if this laptop had UEFI or not. This made me think: "They built it but don't know what kind of BIOS they put in it" ! # * ! The rep I spoke to didn't even know what Linux was-

I think at this point it is wise for me to wait to install the distro of my choice because I don't know what these BIOS are.

Is it just me; or are things (finding out information) getting harder to get answers?

It is getting harder imo. Always ask something, even if you know the answer or can easily find it. Then you'll find out if the seller(who is going to get your money) is any use to you.

I checked out their site it seems that their main product is UEFI so I would say that you have it.
http://www.insydesw.com/home

Agreed Eddy think that's what I've got for BIOS....not happy to say the least.

Anyway; I've started reading here:
http://www.uefi.org/about/
And based on my Google search I have a whole lot more to read and learn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified...ware_Interface

I'd prefer to just go ahead and install Fedora on this laptop but w/o learning what I need to learn about this UEFI and all the details I could (think) run into a real mess that I may not be able to get myself out of-
Until I learn more (I think) it would be foolish to proceed as mentioned with Fedora-

At this point I don't know how to manipulate this UEFI if I had to, configure anything if need be or otherwise proceed.

The recovery btw, didn't go well today. I had to call Sony and it was discovered that the recovery partition on this Vaio is corrupt. This makes no sense to me as it is brand new I just purchased it last week-
Sony is sending me the Recovery disc's so that's good.

Any thoughts Business Kid? Eddy?

From my brief poke above the horizon, there is expected to be a way to disable UEFI functionality, as the full uefi rigours are hardly supported yet (windows 8, I believe).

There is some key that requires software effort to generate, and one is being generated by Red Hat, which they will probably release under gpl :-)).

I'm very vague on it myself, and it promises to be a headache. But with my old crappy pc & laptop, I don't have to worry - yet.