Sony SZ750 Win7 64bit clean install (should help on other SZ's)

You can use the Smart-Wi from Win7 64bit Sony VGN-FW486J.
It will work with 64 and work like the original. It will even let you turn on the wwan, however, I cannot verify that it will work if you try and use the wwan.

Direct link:
Sony eSupport - VGN-FW486J - Software Updates & Drivers

Edit: You want to use the Vista 64 version, the Win7 version doesn't work.
Edit2: Either I have the wrong unit or Sony updated the files.

 

Sorry - I'm confused...is that a solution or no? Sony doesn't offer Vista 64 drivers for that model that I saw. Still looking for a way to control bluetooth.

 

Vista Home premium is an option for that model, but it's not the same program I used a while back. I have to go back through the thread to find what I eventually used and see if I can locate the file again.

I'm also testing some other files I found.

So no, don't use that file I mentioned. I have to research what I used better and get back to you.

 

Okay I solved the WWAN issue...

Use the WWAN from the FW486J, you need to use windows 7 Professional 64bit. For Smart-Wi, Make sure everything else is in FIRST. Installing this before you have the other Sony software installed first or it may not appear to work.
Sony eSupport - VGN-FW486J - Software Updates & Drivers


Smart-Wi works so well that the blue Bluetooth light even works properly.


If you want to use the WWAN itself, you will need drivers for it. This process is documented here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...all-should-help-other-szs-40.html#post6052207

Warning, installing the drivers is not easy as the card will turn on only for a short time, then turn off again. I suspect I know an easier way, but I haven't tested or documented it. Personally, I use a Blackberry, with a program called PdaNet. This costs less than any data plan you will get for the built in card.

 

Okay I have bluetooth sorted.
This is 2 step process but it works and seems to even catch everything for the Blackberry.

First, we need to install a proper driver.
Again we resort to the FW486, Windows 7 Pro.
Sony eSupport - VGN-FW486J - Software Updates & Drivers
Click on the bluetooth wireless dropdown and download the bluetooth driver.

Install it, you should not need to reboot.
If it doesn't work, you may need to use the Universal Extractor. I don't remember if I had to or not, I don't think I needed it though.

Next we go to Broadcom and get their update utility, which wouldn't identify the bluetooth system before.
Broadcom.com - Bluetooth Software Download
Download and run the utility, restart, and all your bluetooth issues should be resolved. YAY!

This should give you the very latest driver from Broadcom.




Guide update goals...
Include latest T.I. driver
Include new video drivers (Intel and Nvidia).
Include WWAN (and driver install).
Include Bluetooth info.
Include Wireless and Intel chipset updates.

 

Hello.

I would like to thank you for a wonderful post.
I have just installed (a third time) Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit on my Vaio SZ480 (2.33Mhz, 4Gb) following the guide precisely EXCEPT:

Step 4: Install the Sony Shared Library.
Won't install saying model is incompatible
Step 5: Install Control Center.
Won't install saying model is incompatible
Step 6: Install Notebook Utilities.
Won't install saying model is incompatible

Installed Sony Shared Library 5.4 (from SZ6), Installed Control Center 4.0(from SZ6), Installed Utility Services 5.0 (from SZ6).

I ended up with the following result:
1. Volume FN buttons work and display Sony on screen bar;
2. In notification area there are Num lock and Scroll Lock indicators
3. THERE IS NO brighteness control in Speed mode (drivers from 1-st page of post were used, Nvidia.reg patch was applied at least 3 times);
4. Brightness FN buttons DOESN NOT work in Stamina and Speed modes;
5. Enternal display FN button (FN + F7) doesn't work;
6. WWAN/WLAN switch (FN + F1) doesn't work (as I read though the post I understood it was not supposed to);
7. Zoom & Sleep (FN + F10 & FN + F12) does not work;
8. Battey care function appears not work (I am not sure it will work on SZ480 at all). Application can be launched from start menu, but it is all grey - battery care cannot be enabled.
9. Camera: (USB\VID_05CA&PID_1835\5&15c14407&0&6) gives no driver error when activated in Skype, but picture is not displayed. Ricoh-MotionEye 64 and 32 driver is used. Sony Drvs-Alternate driver gives error in Device Manager.
I got noticable improvement of performance from Vista 32bit. I got version 7600.16385.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090713-1255 installed.

Thank you once again for a wonderful and helpful post. Please advise if there is any way to get thouse FN buttons working and brightness control back on SZ480.

 

Hi Stazik,
I hate how Sony does that, underneath the check, the software is often similar with other models.

What you need to do is download Universal Extractor.
Universal Extractor | LegRoom.net

Use this to open the files you cannot use. Once opened you will find a subdirectory, try the setup in that. It bypasses Sony's model check. If you can get the software installed, at least some of your problems will go away, but not all. In the driver pack is some other camera drivers, try some of them.

 

Thank you. Will reinstall OS right now with utilities from your driver pack.

Do you think something can be done to brightness, I suppose that is not sony application related. What exactly does registry patch do, maybe it should be done manually for this particular model of SZ?

Thank you.

 

I am sorry for a little off-topic question.
Maybe I should really install Windows 7 32bit instead, as I understood that at least will solve camera issue? My SZ480 has 4Gb RAM and windows vista 32 used to say there is 3.198Gb is present, while windows 7 said 4Gb present and 3,2 available. Does it make any difference? What would you suggest?
Thank you!

 

Do you have the latest bios installed? That may fix your memory problem. If you do, I would just go 32bit since 64 will be no faster and just create more issues.

 

My boot time in Vaio SZ650N with windows 7 32bit is around 2-3mins....and then after also the hdd busy light keeps blinking for another 5mins. My task manager shows 20-30% activity but the light doesn't go off for 5mins. I have another Acer machine with Windows 7 32bit and the boot time is only 1-2mins and thereafter the laptop doesnt slow down and has good processing power...it has pentium dual core and 3gb ram. Why is that my Vaio is so slow considering our specs. Any problem due to Sony inbuilt programs that we install. Thanks.

 

It only takes one program to trash boot times.

While somewhat optimized, mine takes 1 minute, and another 15 seconds for the drive light to fully stop.

Try Msconfig to see what is running on startup (personally I prefer Winpatrol) and disable unneeded stuff. I disable all updaters and quick run utilities. There is no need for an updater that updates once per month to run every time on boot, and quick starts are a joke.

After that, check your drive and memory, something may be wrong.

 

Okay, need a volunteer...

I did some checking on the FN buttons and found you need only a few things and I wonder if someone with non functioning FN machine, load up just the Sony drivers (Firmware Extension Parser and Programmable I/O Device, this is the preliminaries in the guide), then Install the Shared Library and Vaio Event Services from your particular model, restart and see if the buttons work. You might want to try with a full install as well just to see, to do this, I recommend you use Universal Extractor to pull out just the Shared Library and Vaio Event Services if you do this on a already loaded model.

Also, if you can, post your model and the file you used to get your camera working.

 

Oooooo...You're lucky.

I just started playing with Win 7 over the weekend on my SZ. (VGN-SZ43GN ...yay, 3 years and I've finally got the m/n stuck in my head without squinting at the low contrast label. )

I'm sure I had the Fn keys running after:-

Sony Utils DLL....
Shared Library...
Vaio Event Service...
and the two Device drivers (SPIO, SFEP)

And I think they worked without the SPIO.

Couldn't get the S1/S2 buttons going until I discovered, installed and ran Sony Setting Utilities. (Which were missing under my model on the Sony site. So didn't realise ) ...along with SPIO, of course.

Also have Vaio Control Centre installed, but not so sure it's needed yet.

The brightness Fn keys didn't do anything at one point , even though the Volume etc perfectly did . ...No OSD or anything. (I did this last night so not fresh in my memory. ...I installed or did something that made sense to get the Fn Brightness OSD happening.)

On Intel mode it all works perfectly now, no reg patch or anything.

On 7400 mode there's an OSD , but it does nothing except click down one notch, and without affecting the actual brightness. (and on fresh starts I have no backlight at all until I hibernate/sleep and return.) Power manager etc can modify brightness once I come out of sleep/hibernate.

Was wondering if Setting Utilities series was needed once the buttons were configured and that may be the case.
Just Uninstalled them then and still had my S1 button muting/unmuting. S2 wasn't configured yet, so it now does nothing.
Holding S1 no longer brings up the configuration menu (Duhh) ...I'll reinstall the utils. I'm not that skimpy. ...besides it may be needed for launching Apps using those buttons.

I will be doing yet another fresh install once I'm sure of which NVida drivers to settle on and played with them . So I'll see if I can get the Fn keys running without the Sony Util DLLs next time as you asked.
If I try to get the Fn keys running first, I'm at around the half hour point from Win 7 Disk installation boot. If I need to start again it's no biggy.

This is 32-bit , btw.
....Thinking about trialling a 64-bit install at some point , though maybe on another drive or something.

And just realised that the SPIO may have been needed for the brightness Fn keys to work. Which is weird. Maybe they are separated from the other Fn keys in some way. ...I'll experiment on this next install.

And thanks for your thread. It's been one of the few that have helped me understand what I needed to do here.

Next mission.... Conquer the later 7400 drivers. lol

 

You're welcome, and yes you need the SPIO, it's a separate system. Oddly it should have auto installed.

 

OK. I fresh installed while making my lunch...

Installed Windows 7 (Clean 32-bit)

1. Installed Sony Shared Library (then Rebooted)
2. Installed SFEP (No Fn Keys. ...Rebooted, still no Fn keys. Expected this, but tested them anyway)

3. Installed Vaio Event Service (...No Fn keys. Even though this brings up the "Starting Vaio Event Service..." screen, there were still no Fn keys after this. Even after a reboot.)

4. Installed Sony Utilities DLL (Didn't seem to work before restart, but, by pure rear-end , I noticed that the Speaker/Volume icon down the bottom was changing while using the Fn Volume keys. After a reboot OSD then works too.

Possibly the volume was working before the Utility DLLs were installed, but with no OSD. The OSD definitely required them, anyway. (If I remember, I might check that again next time. ...if there is a next time)

NOW... There IS NO Fn Brightness response! So the Brightness Fn keys are linked to the SPIO device, separate from the other Fn keys.

5. Installed SPIO (through universal extractor->have disk method)

EVERY Fn key now works. No reboot was required. Still no S1/S2 response.

6. Install Sony Setting Utilities (Even without reboot, S1 and S2 now work perfectly!)

Uninstalling Sony Setting Utilities after this only removes the balloon messages and the ability to configure these buttons, but if already configured, they stay that way. ...Even after a reboot.

Yeah I knew it was needed, was just surprised that the brightness Fn keys were part of the SPIO and not SFEP like the other Fn keys.

 

Now we just need 64bit.
The software we can deal with after.

 

Will these drivers work on the older SZ-490n?

 

Much of it will.

 

Hello everybody,

I'm having troubles installing the firewire on my Sony SZ71 running Windows 7 64 bit.

In "device manager>other devices>ieee 1394 controller" I can see the device but even installing all the drivers found in this thread (thanks a whole lot for them btw!!) I'm still unable to get my firewire to work...
any ideas?

Thanks a lot in advance and have a nice day!

 

I think I have mine disconnected, I don't own any firewire products except my Sony laptops.

If go into device manager, go into other devices, then left click on the ieee 1394 controller and click properties. Go to the details tab and in the drop down, choose hardware ID's. Write down the part that says VEN____&DEV_____&SUBsys______.

If you paste those into Google you should be able to find a driver, try searching for "VEN____&DEV_____ driver win7", without the quotes (try with Vista instead of Win7 as well). If you find one that works, let me know where you found it so I can put it into the guide for reference.

If it doesn't, try DriverMax - FREE driver download program for Windows XP & Vista, I found the bluetooth drivers that way, and then was able to use the name to track down a driver that could be installed manually.

Good luck, and glad you seem happy with how it runs so far.

 

Great tip with the VEN_...&DEV_... btw, incredible I never heard about it before. Makes it a lot easier to search drivers indeed.

And thanks a lot for your input... I guess the problem was that I was using a Windows 7 64 bit lite version...and I think they stripped the 1394 driver I needed... after a clean non-lite install everything went just fine...

Kind regards,

Jochen

 

I'm glad you got it working.

 

Has anyone successfully installed 64-bit Win 7 on the SZ-491N/X without losing any of the functonality? I have 4GB of RAM installed but not utilizing all of them.
It was made long before SZ-750 came out.

 

Yes, it's been done, but it's not perfect yet.
I'm still looking for a guinea pig to do final work on the 64bit now that I know where some of the last problems are.

The big issues with older models seem to do with brightness, and a few have issues with the camera (but it usually gets working), but for the most part, you can get a fully working 64bit install. Page 57 contains the latest about older models. Brightness FN keys are the biggest issue.

Keep in mind that a 32bit Win7 install should work 100%, and the difference between 3gigs on 32bit, and 4gigs on 64bit is pretty much nill. 64bit has a higher overhead and uses up most of the extra gig.

 

Hello All

I downloaded the SZ Driver package and I don't see half the stuff on there.

Looking at the Step 01 to Step 16, I only see Sony Share Library, Sony Control Centre and Sony Notebook Utlilities..

2. Installed SFEP
3. Installed Vaio Event Service
4. Installed Sony Utilities DLL[

There are not included in the driver package right? (Page 1)

 

Those are from the original downloads for your specific model.

 

Do I download the vista or XP version? I notice official Sony does not have Win7 for SZ360.

I'm currently installing the 32 bit version.

What does "Installed SFEP" and Installed SPIO stand for?

 

The SZ Win7 stuff is useless, just use the Vista stuff.

SFEP = Sony Firmware Extension Parser
SPIO = Original - Sony Programmable I/O Control Device Driver

 

can someone please quote the original post from the first page with all the instructions for me? for some reason, i can access every page on this thread, except page 1. i really need the instructions. thanks for your help

 

See if a permalink will work.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...nstall-should-help-other-szs.html#post5438840

Also, there was some errors earlier, it may work.

 

yea it works now, thanks!

btw, has anyone gotten the camera to work for sz650n? that seems to be the only thing not working for me.

 

The driver is probably the same as the 750, however the needed driver should be in the driver pack. You can't just search and let it find it, you will have to point to an inf file, then it can identify it.

 

does anyone have the modified inf file for the sz650n 8400m gs nvidia driver? looks like laptopvideo2go doesn't have the files on their site anymore.

 

Just download the driver and INF on laptopvideo2go's front page.

You don't need the specific INF or driver any longer, just their modified inf.

 

Hi leslieann
I have completed the upgrade of my SZ79GN to the 64bit version of Windows 7 and everything seems to be up and running.
I wouldn't have had a clue about doing this without your guide - thanks so much for sharing all the effort you have put into this!!!
I see that with the exception of Graphics for Aero, all my results under Win 7 (64bit) are slightly better than I was getting under the 32bit version of Vista. The Aero graphics index has however dropped from 3.5 to 2.7 and I wonder if this drop is usual when going from Vista 32 to Win 7 64, or if I have the wrong driver. Device Manager shows the driver date as 21/07/2009 and the version as 8.15.11.9040.
My system and my results now with Win 7, compared to Vista 32 are as follows:
SZ79GN (Asia Pacific Region):
CPU Intel Core 2 Duo T93900 @ 2.5GHZ
4 GB Ram
500 GB Seagate Momentus XT
Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS

Win64 Vista32
Proc: 5.6 5.4
RAM: 5.6 5.0
Graphics: 2.7 3.5
Gaming graphics: 5.3 4.6
Primary HDD: 5.9 (XT) 5.7 (WD Scorpio Black)

Do you know if its usual for the Aero graphics score to drop under 64bit versions or if I should be looking at the driver?

Thanks again for all your efforts and advice.

Cheers,

John

 

You're very welcome.
For Aero, go to the Intel site using Internet Explorer and use their auto update driver tool. Your numbers should be almost identical between 32 and 64bit.

These are what I was getting a year ago (I haven't really run 32bit in a while):
32bit graphics 3.5 / gaming 3.1
64bit graphics 3.5 / gaming 3.1

Your stats on the hard drives are interesting. I was contemplating going from the Scorpio Black to an XT, I expected a bigger gap. I had already decided to to straight SSD instead.

 

Thanks, I will do this when I get home from work.

I was using the XT in a USB 3 case for backup and external on my Z but felt this was a waste and put it into the SZ. I was also expecting a bigger jump in performance over the Scorpio Black.
There is a significant performance difference between the 2 drives in CrystalDiskmark 3.0 but it doesn't seem to translate to a big increase in the Windows index.
The SSD would be the way to go. I know I may not be comparing apples with apples but my Z's 2 SSDs give an index of 7.7.

 

Could you feel/see a difference?

 

Hi leslieann,

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I'm in Western Australia so am on a very different time zone, and have also been flat out with work.

Its difficult for me to make a realistic and fair comparison. The SSD's on my Z are clearly the quickest of the drives I have been using in my Vaios, which is obviously not surprising given the specs of the Z.

I had the Scorpio Black running what had become a rather bloated and tired 32bit version of Vista on the SZ. The Momentus XT is now running a fresh clean 64bit version of Windows 7 on the same SZ, so you would expect it to be quicker.

At this stage the XT definitely feels faster (to me personally) than the Scorpio Black, but to what extent this is due to the drive itself or to the fact that it is running a clean fresh Windows 7 OS I can't say. I'm sure the Scorpio Black would also have felt snappier with the new OS rather than it did with the tired Vista OS it had to cope with.

I bought the XT in a fit of enthusiasm to use as an external USB 3 drive for the Z (I tend to be a sucker for technology) and its performance as an external USB3 drive was impressive. However, I then decided it was a waste not to use it in the SZ, so it effectively ended up in the SZ more by accident than design.

If I had actually planned to upgrade of the SZ (and if I used the SZ as my main PC) I would definitely have gone for an SSD instead of the XT.

 

Hi leslieann,

The only update the Intel site found was for my wireless driver.

I have now tried running the 32bit version of Windows 7 with yet another set of results.

The comparisons are now:

(Win7-64)[Win7-32]Vista32
Proc: (5.6)[5.5]5.4
RAM: (5.6)[5.5]5.0
Graphics: (2.7)[3.5]3.5
Gaming graphics: (5.3)[3.7]4.6

Any idea why the 64 bit OS would give the lowest graphics but highest gaming graphics score on my system?

 

Vista numbers are not the same as Win7 numbers and shouldn't be used to compare each other.

As for 64vs32 results, your guess is as good as good as mine.

 

Hello.
I'm looking for this kind of guide for years!
thank you for making it!

maybe you can tell me,
where can i find a good Win7 version to install?

 

If you have an earlier SZ, Geforce 7 graphics, go with 32bit and just use the Vista drivers from the Sony site, just as you would for Vista.

If you have a later version, go with 64bit, and 4 gigs of ram and use the guide.

As for obtaining Windows 7, try the local office store, or Newegg, Tigerdirect, etc. Stay away from Windows 7 starter, and unless you have enabled VT in bios, there is little reason for Pro or Ultimate.

 

dear leslieann,

wanna ask, what do you mean by earlier sz series, I have sz28gp, is it the one ?

for now my sz uses 2gb of ram (xp pro) and I want to add 2gb more, will it work with my sz system (chip/bios)?

english is not my mother language, little confuse with what you said, could you please explain it to me, and what version of 7 do I need

many thanks for your help thread

 

SZ1, SZ2, SZ3, SZ4, SZ5 are earlier models.
These have an older Intel chipset and the Nvidia 7400 video card, and 2 gig memory limit. Finding 64bit drivers for the webcam has been difficult to impossible. There is no benefit to putting Windows 7 64bit on these but they run well on Windows 732bit. Be sure to use the original Vista drivers, NOT the Windows 7 drivers Sony lists on their website.

SZ6 and SZ7 models have the Intel 965 chipset and Nvidia 8400 video card.
These can take 4gigs of memory and most of the cameras in these models have a crude camera driver. It works, but not all features do. These run best with 64bit Windows 7 and 4gigs.


Put 32bit on yours, and do not try to install 4gigs of memory.

 

thanks leslieann for your answer, I'll let you know the result after upgrade

 

leslieann,

I read on intel website, chipset i945gm (used by sz28gp) can take up to 4gb of ram.

do you think sony limit the max ram ? or due to old bios ?

 

Many manufacturers do this.
What it means is that Intel says it can, but Sony never tested it so they will not say if it will or will not. Keep in mind, since Sony never tested with 4gigs, there may cause a problem, or even prevent it entirely.

That being said, I have done it before on more than one Sony, my guess is that it will work fine. If you want to try, buy memory from someplace you can easily return it to and give it a shot.

 

Many thanks to leslieann for her modded Nvidia driver pack for Windows 7 32bit. http://www.mediafire.com/?qymjbtfnpd0 It works like a charm!!!

I have a Vaio VGN-SZ480 with a Nvidia Geforce Go 4700. I could run the basic Intel driver only or try suffer blue screens every time I tried to play a full screen youtube video or even just run chess titans. I had tried many drivers previously including the latest from NVIDIA and other modded ones.. Some program that mods your .inf... all useless. I tried using the hardware id's to find the driver on NVIDIA & Laptop News | Latest NVIDIA drivers and related news | laptopvideo2go.com and all that came up were XP and Vista drivers for this card.

So I'm really grateful. My Vaio has never looked sooo gooood. I hadn't seen Aero on Windows 7 before this.