How to Install Sony VAIO SZ Drivers and Utilities on a Clean Windows XP Pro OS

AHA i finally figured it out. it was my power settings. apparently I had it set to disable audio/modem when on batteries... was wondering why it suddenly worked when I plugged my computer in and i formatted twice to figure that out

 

I bought a VGN-FZ190E and I'll downgrade to Windows XP SP2. Where I can find to download the drivers and utilities for the Windows XP?
Thanks.

 

bogart

I was going to start my clean XP installation on my SZ650NC when a found these instructions by Sony:

http://esupport.sony.com/EN/osmig/xpclean.html

I noticed that their order of installation (drives, utilities, etc) is different from the instructions of the topic.

I think the right order is that presented in the topic, but what do you think about it?

PS: about the SONY NOTEBOOK CONTROL (FIRMWARE EXTENSION PARSER) v7.0.0.5 and the SONY PROGRAMMABLE IO v7.0.4.229, will be a problem to use these version (more actual, for example the NOTEBOOK CONTROL for my model at the support website is 6.0.0.2) besides use the software at the SZ650NC's Sony support website? I have no ideia the reason why Sony have these older version in the support website...

Thanks in advance!

 

Well, what they say about drivers needing to be installed in a particular order isn't actually true, so if you take that into account, both guides will work as long as every required driver and utility is installed for your SZ. But their guide is more generalized toward all VAIO models and may have some utilities that aren't necessarily required in a clean installation, IMO. The utilities which I think are required or recommended are in my guide.

Regarding the Sony Notebook Control and Programmable I/O drivers, you shouldn't have any problems installing the versions I listed, since other SZ650 owners have reported successful results, but if you feel it would be a safer option to install the drivers that are provided for your model, you're free to do so.

 

Hello
I have downgraded my sz670n to windows xp and everything works fine except for the usb connections.
They work, but the speed transmition is so slow and I dunno what to do.
It takes to me like 50 seconds to transfer to a pendrive just 20 mb.
Sometimes, my laptop makes a sound like if i had connected and disconnected a device when i haven't..
In my device administrator everything seems to be ok, although i have 16 different devices within the Universal Serial Bus menu.
I would appreciate any sugestion

Thank you in advance!

 

I still can't get the SZ791N's camera to work, no matter what drivers I try to install. Everything looks ok in Device Manager but there is no camera detected in the control panel or Sony's software. Has anyone gotten this to work in XP SP2?

 

No success with the camera on a Vaio TZ92 over here. I'd appreciate help very much!

 

I was thinking..I did the downgrade to Windows XP of my SZ650NC. Is it true that the hybrid HDD just works in Windows Vista? What we can do to use this feature on the Windows XP, or it isn't possible??

 

From what I've read, the caching feature only works in Windows Vista and unless drivers are provided by hard drive manufactures it won't work on other operating systems.

 

Hi,

I'm helping a friend to setup XP SP2 on an Vaio SZ 75. Sofar everything worked as planned. Dualboot Vista / XP etc etc.
Remaining Problem is the sound driver. After "endless" googleling I came across this side and at least I'm able now to install the driver. After applying the KB888211 fix. The sigmatel card is recognized and installs without error message. When the machine starts it plays the standard sound, but that's it. Nothing else. If I try to play the sound files from the Control Panel it tells me the sound files are broken and can't be used ???.
After reinstalling the Sounddriver it works again for a second.
Does anybody has a clue ? Or a tip on what to check further ?

Tks
Henning

 

You may want to check the Audio/Modem device setting in VAIO Power Management (WinKey+R -> powercfg.cpl). If it's disabled, enable it since that determines whether power is given to the audio device. A few posts above you, Meteo had had similar problems relating to this when he couldn't get his audio to work.

 

Try reinstalling to the latest Intel chipset drivers.

I have the SZ650N/C and I downloaded my drivers from their FTP site, but the camera was the only thing that didn't work. It worked when I got the camera drivers from http://esupport.sony.com. I wonder if the same drivers I used will work on yours if it was unlocked. I assume you tried the camera drivers from http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGNSZ791N already?

 

Hi all,

I have just put a fresh install of xp home on my wifes vaio and am now faced with there being no wireless recognition.

I have downloaded the drivers from the Sony website that are for this laptop but still no sign of the wireless.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!!

 

Did you check the wireless switch and make sure it's set in the ON position? Is the wireless LAN device listed in the Device Manager? If so, try the drivers from Intel's website. The download link is in the first post. Also watch the video if you are unfamiliar with clean Windows installations.

 

Hi guys!

I wanna try this clean install for Sony SZ18GP...
anyone have try to SZ18GP?
Coz no drivers for SZ18GP available at www.esupport-sony.com
Many thanks for your reply

 

Yes, I used those drivers among others and none of them work. BTW, this is happening on two SZ791's I support here.

 

Dear All,

AFAIK, SZ18GP is the same as SZ160PC
Anybody have tried to try this trick on SZ160PC?
Please let me know, coz i'm trying to clean format my sz18gp

Thanks in advance

 

You have a Napa SZ, and you can successfully install XP on it if you follow the directions.

 

Hi,

I installed all the drivers on my sz691 but now sometimes my speed drops down to 750Mhz from 2.4 Ghz. How can I fix this ? What caused that?

 

Is there a similar instruction for SZ clean install, but for Vista?

 

We could add the new Intel Chipset INF drivers:

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=7134&st=0&p=75650&#entry75650

Version 9.0.0.1008 WHQL
WHQL: yes
Date: 01/05/2008

They are very reliable.
What means WHQL?

DOWNLOAD

 

Hi Bogart. Where can I find your guide?

 

THANK YOU!!!

Saved me a bit of a headache
I downloaded the drivers on the SZ 430 page and got those installed with the sony download taxi, and i thought all was well. But my buttons woulndt work (the S buttons and the FN ones) i followed your guide and found it to be very helpful. Thank YOU!!!

THIS SHOULD BE STICKIED

Actually, my FN buttons only work my S buttons dont work at all..... Please help

 

Have you tried running the S Button setting utility in VAIO Control Center? That should make the S buttons work. If VAIO Control Center hasn't been installed you can run the S Button utility directly from %programfiles%\Sony\Setting Utility Series\VCCSpecialButton.exe

Make sure you are using the Napa version of VAIO Event Service as well.

 

I went into vaio control and clicked the S button icon, which then gave me an error saying "You can't launch"

hold on let me try the napa version, didn't see that recommendation in your post before.

 

You said earlier that you installed some utilities downloaded from the SZ 430 page. Uninstall those and try all the drivers and utilities from the first post. What version of Setting Utility Series are you using? There's a version.txt file in %programfiles%\Sony\Setting Utility Series.

 

1.7.00.08150
[InstallationInfo]
ProductName=Setting Utility Series
Version=1.7.00.08150
InstalledDate=6-12-2008 16:45:57
ProductGUID={59452470-A902-477F-9338-9B88101681BD}

thats the version text file


I tried the napa version and it still gives me the same error.
i will try to go back and find which dirvers i installed from the sz430 page but i do not remember all of them

 

COOL! I got it to work! I guess i didnt follow this exactly the first time

But after I uninstalled and reinstalled it following those directions the S button works now! The FN still does too so i think im in good condition.

Btw, I used http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?upd_id=3005
to get my Setting Utility Series. this is the link in your First post, which i used that handy program to extract.
Which is from

THANK you so much!!!

 

Well, I was wrong, the SUS in XP's Sony Utilities package is v1.7.00.08150 but the SUS in Vista's Sony Utility Package (contains the updated version of VAIO Camera Capture Utility) is v2.1.00.16040, which apparently works in XP as well.

I'm glad everything finally worked out. If you had installed the outdated drivers from the SZ430 page, you may want to update them with the newer versions from the first post.

 

By the way bogart, I think I have a problem with the brightness controls. When I increase or decrease, usually there are blocks that show the brightness scale (at least with the SZ120) but on the SZ430 it does that sometimes and then flicks back and forth to thin bars (such as the ones seen on a TV when adjusting the volume). What would you say is wrong with this? I've tried the video drivers, but that didn't help.

 

I've never seen that happen before, and I'm not sure why the bars would change thickness as you're adjusting the brightness. When the bars flick back and forth to thin bars, are they similar in thickness as the volume bars (Fn+F3 and Fn+F4 buttons)?

 

on the normal backlight controls, its like a cube block. But on mine it goes back and forth from a cube block to something similar with the volume bars. Also sometimes it tends to lag a bit when I change the backlight. I'll post pics or a vid if I get time.

 

A video would be great. Does it happen in both speed and stamina modes?

 

I'm getting the videos now, but I have another question. When you turn on the laptop, does your computer have like a 2-5 second delay (just the screen being black) before the VAIO, Intel and Phoenix screen shows up?

 

IIRC that pause is caused by the TPM device. If you don't use TPM, I suggest disabling it in the BIOS (press F2 when the VAIO logo appears to access the BIOS.)

 

well that should save some time, I will go change it later. Thanks. Videos should be coming soon, just loaded them up to youtube.

 

Youtube video about the SZ Backlight problem.

This one is in Stamina with the bars increasing double on one press of FN and the other keys.
<object width='425' height='344'><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/81efGYjG7S8&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/81efGYjG7S8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width='425' height='344'></embed></object>

Speed
<object width='425' height='344'><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/StXW3ArSJ5M&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/StXW3ArSJ5M&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width='425' height='344'></embed></object>


Last one, the bars do not fill up all the way
<object width='425' height='344'><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qwlvUwFrywo&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qwlvUwFrywo&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width='425' height='344'></embed></object>

 

Sorry, I don't know why that's happening. It might be a conflict with VAIO Event Service and some of the other utilities that you'd installed, though. Perhaps when you have time you could start all over and just concentrate on getting the Fn and S buttons working first, then you could install the rest of your utilities. Watch the video to see how everything is done, if you haven't already, and try to follow the installation sequence the best you can using the right drivers and utilities. I have a Napa SZ just like yours but mine is a Premium, and it's working fine with the BIOS update, drivers and utilities from the first post.

 

Hmmm... will try again tomorrow. By the way, when I uninstall all these drivers do I just take the separate setups and just run them again and have the setup itself remove the programs, or is there another way of uninstalling it?

Thank you again, you seem to be responding back very quickly! I would give you another rep, but I have to spread some around first!


OT
I dont know if i am missing something, but is there a dedicated search tool on this forum?

 

This may be a bit complicated, but to completely uninstall all the required Sony utilities, you'll first need to stop VAIO Event Service (and SmartWi if you have that installed) in WinKey+R -> services.msc and use Unlocker to unlock all the files located in %programfiles%\sony and %programfiles%\common files\sony

Then uninstall the following in Add/Remove Programs:

Sony Utils DLL
Setting Utility Series
VAIO Event Service

After that's done, manually delete the related folders in %programfiles%\sony and the whole sony folder in %programfiles%\common files (which is Sony Shared Library XP). Then in the registry, delete any of the Sony Utilities DLL, Setting Utility Series, Sony Shared Library for XP, Sony Notebook Setup, Shared Info and VAIO Event Service keys located in HKCU\Software\Sony Corporation and HKLM\Software\Sony Corporation.

Also use Registry Crawler or a similar registry search tool to remove any other related keys that may be located elsewhere.

 

do you mean sony shared instead of just plain sony?

Becasue the one in quotes is giving me an error

Nevermind, I just reread what you posted and found that the Sony folder you talk about is the same as sony shared.

 

Ok, I've fiddled around with this stuff and i still cant seem to get the backlight issue to work properly. I found out that if i disable the Vaio event service in services.msc, I can adjust the brightness controls better with no lag. But i still have the problems of the bars being like the volume part as seen in some of the videos.


EDIT:
Okay totally disregard what I just wrote. I went into Add and remove programs and decided to remove a program called hotkey utility v. 4.xxxx (or something along those lines). Threw the computer into a restart and lo and behold, my brightness control is back to normal!!!!!!!!! I guess that program was not suppose to be installed or something and I do not know where I got it from. Thank you again bogart!

 

I have a SZ79GN. Are the drivers listed at the start of this guide applicable?

I managed to downgrade vista to xp with the disc provided and used some of the drivers on this guide. There are no yellow exclamation marks on device manager, every device is installed under device manager. Does this mean my xp installation is complete?

Or are there tweaks I still need to apply?

 

Hi,
Thank you Bogart for this post.
I have the SZ440N and an I get an error when launching VCU: " An unknown error occurred. VAIO Camera Utility will now close.". The camera works fine in VCCU and everything else seems to work fine.
How can I resolve this problem?

 

Do you get the same error when using this version of VCU?

 

Yes, VCU 1.0.00.12270 and 2.0.01.02070 gives me the same error.

 

You know what, it doesn't work for me now either, but it worked when I made the movie and guide. VCUServe.exe silently closes when it's opened for some reason and that needs to be running before VCUSet.exe is executed. Maybe it has something to do with SP3. I think they've abandoned this utility as it's not included in the later models.

 

Oh well, I think that app isn't very usefull anyway. It's good to know that it isn't just me!
Thanks bogart

 

Is there a patch to change the name and icon of the SD card reader (Sony-USB HS CARD USB Device)? Mine currently just says 'Removable Disk' and the Driver is from Microsoft (5.1.2353.0).

Thanks for the help.

 

You don't need to install any driver to use the expresscard SD card adapter; it should work via PnP and act as a removable device. If you'd like to change the icon and name, you can use PHM Plus! or create/edit the autorun.inf in the removable media.