Problem with VAIO Windows 8 upgrade Kit

[fabb21]

I want to install Windows 8 on my computer and I have an upgrade offer with time to install windows until 31st January.

I can't manage to run the Upgrate Kit provided by VAIO for the upgrade. I have followed every step of the Windows 8 Upgrade Guide also provided by VAIO; I have uninstalled manually VAIO Care (although I had to use an external program to uninstall it, since it wouldn't unistall with the windows control panel) and VAIO Update. When coming to the step of running VUforWind8Upg.exe (the vaio upgrade kit), the program tells me that I have to uninstall VAIO Care and VAIO Update and then it closes.

I wonder what I have to do to make it run, since I don't want to directly install Windows 8 without doing the propper steps and then messing up my computer.

Is there any way to do manually what the upgrade kit is supposed to do?

I have a SVE1511P1EW purchased in September 2012.

Message was edited by: fabb21

[Blencogo]

Hi fabb21 and welcome.

Does your Vaio have a Recovery Partition on the hard drive?  This is needed to access the original versions of Vaio Care and Vaio Update because the Windows 8 versions are updates only.  Check in Disc Management that it is intact.

You did choose to keep applications, data and Windows settings?

Have you made Recovery Discs?

As far as I know, there is no manual upgrade route that preserves all software and data.

[rich912]

Hi fabb21,

There is a Unified Uninstall Tool available for manual download from the following link under the Win 8 downloads but I’m unsure of what it does.

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/SVE1511P1EW/updates

This is just a hunch and may have no bearing but did you by any chance uninstall the McAfee software? If so it would be advisable to run the removal tool to clean up any remnants – we have heard of no end of problems following incomplete removal of this dreadful piece of software!

http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS101331

Another alternative would be to return to factory settings prior to running the upgrade kit.

Rich

[fabb21]

Thank you very much for your answer.

Yes I have a Recovery Partition and I have made recovery discs.

I am still running Windows 7 and haven't done the upgrade yet, so I haven't arrived to the part of choosing if to keep data, applications and Windows settings..

Anyways, as I understand it, the VAIO upgrade kit just unintalls some drivers from the computer automatically (instead of manually) so that there won't compatibility issues when I install Windows 8, I am not planning to do the whole installation process manually :

[fabb21]

Thank you Rich, thanks for the link for removing McAfee, I actually had uninstalled it but maybe not properly. Anyways, my problem is with VAIO Care and VAIO Update..so should I do a whole system recovery to make the upgrade kit work? :

[rich912]

Hi fabb21,

I would first try the McAfee removal tool to see whether that resolves the issue. If not then a return to factory settings would be my next option but make sure you backup any data needed as the process will wipe all personal data and third party software.

Rich