Sony Vaio and Windows Vista. EVERYTHING you need in this thread! Hotkeys fix, official patch from MS. Whine fix, make your VAIO run silent!

[loathsome]

Hi all.

I've recently set up my VAIO notebook to fully, 100%, support Windows Vista. Took me some time, but it was certainly worth it

Okay, here's what you need:

- Drivers. Go to the VAIO Vista Upgrade web site to download these. What you'd want to grab from that page:
~ Setting Utility Series
~ Shared Library
~ Utilities
~ VAIO Event Service
These are the most required ones. You MUST download and install these.
-----
Further, the following aren't necessary, but very useful:
~ Alps Pointing-device for VAIO (for your touchpad to work properly)
~ FlashMedia (if you're using the media readers/writers)
~ MemoryStick Icon Registry patch (nothing important, just a nice icon for the MemoryStick to show up in Computer, like this:



Also, if your VAIO notebook has built hardware such as a camera, bluetooth etc., grab the proper drivers for them as well.

Graphics driver are NOT necessary, as all versions of Vista supports the Intel GMA-chipset. I would neither recommend installing the VAIO Power Management, as Vista also has this built in.
-----
Hotkeys
Probably one of the biggest "losses" in Vista. I see lots of post asking how to get the hotkeys to work. Here's the SOLUTION with an official patch from Microsoft:

You MUST install the following:
~ Setting Utility Series
~ Shared Library
~ Utilities
~ VAIO Event Service

After installing, reboot your notebook. Then grab the Sony Notebook Control Device update from Microsoft at this link:
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3-19990518/cabpool/7816_2_a5db7ce11f55024ce049b...
(sniffed by me, loathsome) edit, added; I've attached a mirror of the Sony NCD. Look at the bottom.

After you've downloaded, open up Device Manager and install them for "Unknown device". Your hotkeys should work immediately. If not, try rebooting.

Whine fix
Some users, included myself, notice a small, high pitched noise coming from the notebook. This is extremely annoying if you're in a silent enviroment. I've come up with a solution to this. Download RMClock, and under "Management" enable "Run HLT command when OS is idle". Restart the program and the sound is gone - for ever. You can also make it start with Windows, so you'll never have to bother with it again. This WILL shorten your batterylife, but only with 3-7%, according to my tests.

That's all, enjoy Windows Vista! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me,
loathsome+

[koymik]

do you think that this procedure and downloads going to work at my machine as well?
thanks..

[skykit84]

i did the memory stick icon trick when i first did a clean insall on my vista installed laptop
small thing but it makes such a difference because the icon is not half bad 🙂

[kee-lo_]

I'm going to make this a sticky but if anyone can comment on the process how it worked out for you that will be superb.

[loathsome]

koymik:

Yep, I am quite sure it will. Just give it a try! The hardest part to figure out was the Notebook Control Device - took me some time.

loathsome+

[pariope41]

Is it possible to monitor the whole process of installation of the drivers and usefulness(utilities) in order that it(he,she) does not find mess? Regards

[josantos]

I
I from Portugal and i have a vaio vng-297xp.
i have install windoes vista ultimate and have all drives.
My problem is
volumes bottom
drive dvd bottom
S1 Bottom
Britness bottom
and fn keys

don´t work.

Please help me

João santos

[Guido_P]

Thank you so much, loathsome !!! It did work for my FE41M !!! Many, many thanks!!!!

Guido :smileygrin:

[mschweins]

I tried more or less all of the advice listed in loathsome's initial post. (Besides the hotkey-related download from MSFT) --> Download and installation of all drivers & utilities as available in the download forum.

Still my machine (VGN-SZ3XWP/C) doesn't work to it's full extent.
- integrated camera doesn't work at all
- trying to integrated VAIO-Powermanagement result in an error message about rundll32
- still problems with my memory-stick (can't use it)

I wiped pre-installed XP and formatted drive prior to installing VISTA Business.

Any idea's / comments / help much appreciated.

[theblackdevil]

Hello,

I have installed Windows Vista Ultimate on my VAIO VGN-SZ2VP. Everything works fine and it was not needed to install Microsoft Patch for the hot key ! Juste the Sony drivers

But I'm not sur if the CPU speed goes down when the PC is idle... because when I see in properties of the "My Computer" the CPU is every time at 2.17 Ghz...

Moreover i don't know where to go to modfy the properties of the CPU speed ?!

Have you an idea ?

Thank you ^^