VGN-AR61M help

Hi all,

Ive had to reinstall my machine using a generic Vista cd as the recovery dvds I got when I purchased the machine did not work due to the recovery partition not being there (from the first time I reinstalled it, my fault)

Ive now installed vista home premium 32bit, with SP2 and all the windows updates done.

The eject, S1, S2 and AV buttons dont work anymore. The mute and volume control work but without on screen display. The built in webcam (Ricoh) doesnt work anymore either.

I am unable to get the correct drivers from: http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/downloads/preinstalled/index.aspx?l=en_GB&m=VGN-AR61M
as the links point to files that dont exist. Like this for the camera: ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/pub/Vaio/Original/Camera Ricoh 6.1006.209.0_logo.zip

The function key doesnt work either - the screen brightness, scroll lock etc

Can anyone please help me to resolve these issues?

Thanks

 

Did you try the drivers for a similar model on the US site?
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGNAR610E

 

Thanks Tofu, I've got the web cam working now. The mute and volume controls are working too with on screen display. Its just the eject, S1, S2 and AV buttons now. Ill see what I can do with the other similar models software.

Do you think one of these driver applications like driver detective or similar would get it all working? I dont mind paying *if* it really works!

thanks

 

try installing/reinstalling the notebook utilities package.

In all likelihood, the driver hunting programs won't work.

 

Hmm, I would start with Zoink's suggestion. There's talk about an installation sequence, so maybe notebook utilities need to be installed after some other program for the keys to work.

I would try "System components" and "Vaio Media Software" next. If you don't already have them installed, I think they provide the core functionality.

A part of me is also asking if those keys have to be set explicitly in some Vaio program. You know, it asks you what you want the keys to do, then sets the mapping accordingly. I'm guessing that wouldn't apply to the eject button, maybe to the others...

 

Ive got the vaio control center installed now but the hotkeys and vaio launcher settings are in chinese or something. Any idea how to remove just that part? It looks like each one of these items is a separate module/driver

All the other components are ok

 

Hmm, that looks like Japanese. How.... ???

The launcher appears to be bundled with the notebook utilities package (from the site):
VAIO® Event Services
VAIO Control Center
Sony Setting Utilities
Battery Checker
AppMon Utility
VAIO Camera Capture Utility
VAIO Launcher
VAIO Power Management
Wireless Switch Setting Utility

Do you have a previously installed Vaio Launcher? Or maybe remove the previous notebook utiliities and reinstall, perhaps the newest version did not overwrite the past ones...

 

Vaio Launcher (AV mode button) will be in Japanese. This is Sony's fault. For working brightness and special buttons, you need to install the following XP compatible utilities and drivers in the order mentioned.

Nvidia driver
Sony shared library
Sony firmware extension parser (SFEP)
Vaio Event Service
Setting utility series
Vaio Control center