Windows 7 install on SZ -- brightness Fn+ F5 F6 still not working

Windows 7 install on SZ -- brightness Fn F5 F6 still not working

I am trying to complete a clean install of Windows 7 32-bit on a two-year-old Vaio SZ-780. I've tried to follow the (many) guides on this site and also this page:

http://blog.komeil.com/2009/07/fn-f5-f6-brightness-windows-7-sony-vaio.html

I did the installs in the correct order and confirmed as best as I could that each step showed some proof of completing, and I rebooted between each step.

Some of the function keys work (Volume, mute) but the Fn+F5 and F6 for screen brightness control do not. The screen is in torch mode.

I'm pretty sure I installed the drivers in the correct order. Could there be another step missing?

One thing I'm wondering about -- During all of the above steps, the video driver under Windows 7 was a "Generic VGA" driver. I recently found and installed the correct NVidia G86 GeForce 8400M GS driver. Could that have anything to do with the missing Fn button functionality ?

Has anyone gotten the brightness function restored on an SZ model ?

 

I'm not an expert, but these are some ideas I had. Lots of people seem to be having this problem.

Having the right driver for your NVidia graphics card seemed like it should've worked.

The only thing I can say is:
Run Windows Update, (in the Start Menu), and use THAT to find THEIR version of the best driver for your NVidia graphics card.

AND/OR

Go into Control Panel, (in the Start Menu), and poke about your Power Options.

AND/OR

Use the manufacturer's latest driver for Vista.

Again: not an "expert" but that's what I'd do in your shoes.

*shrug*

[matt]

 

Current Nvidia driver version is 7.15.11.128 dated 5/11/2007. Somewhere in the many threads about this problem I saw a reference to a registry patch for NVidia, but it's not clear that it would apply to this particular situation (combo of Win7 and Vista drivers, Nvidia driver version, etc).

 

Verify VAIO event service is running.

 

Yup, Vaio event svc is running (automatic).

I can also see that Setting Utility Series and VAIO Control Center are installed.
I don't think it's just video driver related -- other Fn+ keys (Battery F7, Zoom F10) also don't work.

 

Sorry I can't really help but thought I would pass on my experience with this. When I installed Win 7 on my SZ I was never able to get the brightness and volume keys working. The best I got to was for the brightness or volume "template" to appear on the screen along with the familiar "beep" each time I pressed the brightness/volume up or down key. Although the template appeared the levels shown on it would never move up or down as I pressed the keys. The only thing that did work was the mute key.

I did invest several hours in installing/uninstalling the various Sony utilities in different orders but it didn't help.

 

I didnt do a clean install bu recently upgraded to WIN 7. When trying to find correct nvidia drivers the same thing happened to me (brightnesss stuck at torch, when clicking fn +- the levels apperared but did not move)

I fixed this by inserting some fix file into the nvidia driver install folder and it was working again.

Thinks it was Dox's newest forceware at laptopvideo2go

 

It depends on the model.
Early model Sz's (1-5 series) we have not been able to get this working really.

From what I can conclude, it's not a video driver issue, but an issue of Windows 7 and the Bios.
More precisely, I believe the problem is with the Shared Library and Vaio Event Services.

For what it's worth (and maybe it will help), brightness is handled in hardware by the Programmable I/O Device driver, and on the software side by the Shared Library and Vaio Event Services. The Firmware Extension Parser is needed by the other FN keys.


You can still adjust brightness with Windows Mobility (?, I forget the exact name) in control panel and there is a way to put a brightness adjustment down next to the clock, but I have no idea how I managed to do it before.

This post may also help.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...all-should-help-other-szs-57.html#post6572016
With some help he managed to get it all working on 32bit, but 64 remains a a no-go for brightness on older SZ's. Odds are it will remain that way unless I can get my hands on one for testing or someone plays Guinea pig as this guy did.