It Can Be Done!
I used to think that a computer with an OEM Windows license and no restore CD was a dead entity.
Then, I found out you can install either an OEM CD straight from Newegg or a modded Retail CD and pass the OEM license key to the fresh install.
You’re on your own for drivers, but it’s easier than you would think. The vendor-provided stuff, at least normally, should work. I only needed the TI Memory Stick reader from Sony; everything else came directly from the vendors (Intel, RealTek, and Conexant).
Here’s the software load from my fresh install on the Vaio tonight:
