Slow VAIO on Vista - convert to XP?

[capt sensible]

I have recently replaced my old Compaq NC4000 ultraportable with a Sony VAIO VGN-G11XN_B (PCPro's A list ultraportable since it came out in Mar 07) This is pre-loaded with Vista. After updating this and the other pre-loaded software (a mere 225 MB) the thing takes 8 long minutes to boot. Just as well it is supposed to have a 9 hour battery life. I can't live with 8 minutes to get going, so I'm considering a couple of options. Updgrade memory from 1GB to 2GB (I think that's the limit). Alternatively switch back to XP Pro. I'd be grateful for anyone's opinions on which of these (if either) might be best (and if switching OS is the way togo , how difficult this might be - not a single driver comes with the PC) or whether there's something else I could try. Thanks

[Mossy]

Turn the Pc on 8 minutes before you want to use it?

[aidanjt]

Dump the preloaded software if you don't use it, make sure drivers are up to date, upgrade to 2gb if you can afford it, and make a habit out of using hibernation to 'turn off' the computer.

[staffsMike]

First things first, never expect an ultra portable such as the vaio G series to perform well. I almost threw a similarly specced TX out of the window due it be so infuriatingly slow.

As aidanjt said, there is tonnes of rubbish on vaio's which you don't need so a clean install will always help, however this is a more tricky process with vaio's so try and read up on how to do it for your particular laptop. I use Notebook and Laptop Reviews , they have a forum/diccusion section which is most helpful for this sort of thing. Obviously you can just stick a vista disc in and reinstall off that but you don't get those with vaio's in my experience..just there own recovery cd's.

XP will work better than Vista on your hardware so it's a possibility for sure. 2GB will probably help to but it is normally the hard drive which cripples sony as they have a habbit of using 4200rpm drives and the G series has the low speed processors so it will never be a speed demon. Of course hard drive upgrades are always difficult with vaio's to but it may be worth looking to see if you can upgrade it easily.

[TheVoice]

Wrong thread!

[P2W]

use msconfig to limit all the gubbins programs starting up with Windows (i assume msconfig is still an option that can be run via run on Vista but havnt switched from XP Pro yet (and probably dont plan to lol))