Everything but Fn keys works...

Lots of trouble with a clean install...

Here's the weird part, the Sony ISB Utility was supposed to take care of Fn keys and the Eject button, right?
Well, Eject works fine, but Fn keys don't...

Does this mean I have to start over?

 

Yea, you might have missed something. Did you start a clean install from scratch and did you slipstream sp1 into your installation disc by any chance?

If your eject button works, something's else might be not working. Make sure you restart after each installation of the Z utlities to ensure they are installed correctly.

You don't need to make a new thread if you have a problem, just post in the clean install thread

 

It might help if we had a freakin' clue what model of Vaio you have!!!

Gary

 

You must be a real people person, lol

Anyway, yes, I did do a clean install from scratch.
No, the disk I used didn't have SP1 on it.
(It's a Vaio Z series by the way.)

Should I go back and reinstall all the Z utilities ini order?
Suppose that'll fix the problem?

 

I think you'll find I can be quite helpful, when folks provide enough info for me to be so. ...big ol' grin... It's sort of a pet peeve of mine, when folks ask a question but don't provide the info we need to actually provide some help or advice.

Yes, I think the order is the issue. I have done clean installs on three different Sony models two of them with two different operating systems. In every case the sequence was crucial.

If I were you I would start over. Reinstall Vista and then the utilities and drivers in the right order. Anything else you try is like playing Russian Roulette. It might APPEAR to be OK and a few days from now something else may go flaky. Cut your losses and start over.

Gary

 

Even if you uninstall and reinstall in order....it won't work.

I also want to tell you that I would highly suggest you use vlite and slipstream sp1 onto your installation disk only because the Z comes with sp1 natively and I think it affects the utility software.

 

So you are also suggesting he needs to start over as well, right?

Would it work for him to install Vista, then SP1 and then the utilities and drivers in the right order? I know there was an issue early on with slipstreaming SP1 with vlite, but I do think the latest version of vlite has that fixed. If so, prepping a Vista installer with SP1 slipstreamed in could be a time saver if the OP ever has to reinstall at some point down the road.

To the OP, if you DO use vlite to slipstream I would recommend you resist the temptation to uninstall any Windows components as you make the slipstream installer. Many folks did this with Vista prior to SP1 coming out. And when they tried to install SP1 they could not because of missing components. Their only recourse was to go back and reinstate those components before SP1 could be installed. This MIGHT not be an issue in the future, but who knows what will happen when SP2 comes at some time in the future. vlite's ability to trim down an install is a cool feature, but it comes with the possibility of headaches in the future.

Gary

 

Thanks for the help guys.
I've started from scratch with a clean install twice now (following the guide), but with the same results: no Volume / Brightness keys
Did I miss something?

Here's the order I used:

Vista (no SP1)
Intel Chipset Driver
Touchpad
Bluetooth
Ethernet
Fingerprint Reader
Memory Stick
Modem
WLAN
SD Card
Sound
Firmware Extension Parser
Programmable IO Control
Sony Shared Library
Sony Setting Utility
Vaio Event Service
Vaio Control Center
Vaio Power Management
Sony ISB Utility
WWAN
SmartFi Utility (never installs correctly though)
HDD Protection

Did I do anything wrong?

Also, at which point in the installation should those functions start working?

 

Right after isb utility, it should work.

I honestly think the culprit here is that you didn't have sp1 slipstreamed.Both IsmanuX slipstreamed sp1 into our installs, and another guy in the guide thread says everything works for him perfectly.

Like I said before, the Z natively ships with sp1 in all its vista builds, so you have 2 choices. (Both requiring you to do another format, and clean install)

1. Slipstream sp1 into your installation disc (easy method, and tested proven to work)
2. Download and install sp1 standalone after both graphic drivers and before sony shared library, and pray it works. (Untested, but I believe there are bug fixes in sp1 that enables the fn keys)

 

I'm unfortunately out of DVDs
Guess I'll try #2

Thanks a bunch for the help! I really appreciate it
Well, off to reinstall...

 

I think MegaMan may be correct that since you model ships with SP1, you probably need to install it before you add any drivers or utilities. But I also think you have the incorrect order for the drivers and utilities. Sony has published a clean install guide applicable to ALL Vaio models. http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?info_id=172#prepare#prepare

It has you install the utilities BEFORE the drivers. There are some of the drivers that rely on the utilities (the library in particular) being in place before the drivers are installed.

Gary

 

Oh weird...
I'm tempted to trust the official website, but then again Sony support seems to be a bit flaky, and people have vouched for MegaManX's method...

Shoot, which should I go with?
And what's the Sony Utility they're talking about? (As opposed to the Setting Utility?)

 

The sequence in that document has worked on all three Sony Models I have. It is the same sequence I used on Win 2000 and Win XP on two of the three machines.

RE: Setting Utility. On the FZ model the setting utility is part of the Sony Utilities Installer.

Gary

P.S. give me a minute and I'll look at the Sony esupport site for you model and see if I can discern the Sony Utilities vs Setting Utiliity question.

 

There appears to be no equivalent to what Sony called the "Sony Utilities" file for the Z models. On the FZ it included a few things in one package. Among them was the Setting Utility. So I would substitute that at the "Sony Utilites" step.

Gary

 

Hm... ok. Well, no harm in trying. Lol, here we go again...
Thanks for clarifying the Utility thing by the way

 

Hmmm...not sure if this is the same as the FW problem I had, but here's the procedure I followed to fix it (after clean install, my hotkeys weren't working). The main instructions came from the Sony support site (below).

Note: I used the Vaio Recovery tools to install these because I didn't want to have to download them again, and they are faster than running from the DVD.

Essentially tried to work from this:
http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/...ES_1_1&dialogID=10106959&stateId=0 0 15201652

Substituted:
1. (same) - Sony Shared Library, restart
2. (didn't see this one, so I made a guess) - Setting Utility Services, restart
3. (same) - Vaio Event Services, restart....Voila! Now the keys all work!

4 - wasn't necessary, worked after the 3rd step. Not sure if they will work by only updating 3, but the sequence definitely worked, and you won't have to re-install Vista, etc to fix it.

Hope that helps.

 

I'm in the process of reinstalling stuff on my Z, but I just found a DVD

But when I tried to use vLite to stick SP1 on a Vista Home Premium installation, the instant I selected Home Premium, I got a BSOD...

Any ideas why?

 

Guys i tried doing clean install, and installed all drivers, and i installed vista ultimate(used to have vista home premium) and my FN brightness doesnt work, my zoom in doesnt work, eject keys doeesnt work, and the GPU switching lever doesnt work either.. i cant use my nvidia graphic card, can anyone helP?

 

Did you install the Sony Shared Library and then Sony Utilities? Specifically, the order of install should be: upgrade to SP1, install all drivers, install shared library, and then install utilities.

 

so they have to be inorder for it to be working? i mean i feel like my 1800 dollar laptop is useless w/o this switchable graphics, FN keys, etc,, its gay, where is the STEP BY STEP process or ORDER of the installign should be? HELP PLZ!

 

It might help if we knew which model you have...

Gary

 

i have the sony vaio z540

 

Gary, Do i really have to install the utilities inorder to make my fn keys working?

 

Yes, as far as I know that is the case. Sony is very specific in their instructions that you must install them in the following order (this list is for an FZ series machine, but all the others I have seen are similar in sequence):

A. Sony Shared Library
B. Sony Utility
C. Setting Utility Series
D. Video
E. Audio
F. Wireless
G. Modem
H. Toshiba Bluetooth
I. Sony Ericsson driver
J. Novatel driver
K. Novatel Firmware update
L. Touch pad
M. Touch screen
N. TPM
O. VAIO camera Filter
P. VAIO camera utility
Q. TV tuner library
R. MPEG encoder card
S. Application monitor
T. VAIO Event Service
U. Sony Video Shared Library
V. Special Button Utility

Gary

 

hahha got it working! my z is awesome thx guys

 

The protocol here is when you post an issue and latter get it resolved, that you should also post what you did to get it fixed. That way when someone else comes along and sees your question, they will immediately also find the solution.

Gary