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+

[andreashadji]

hi to all!any ideas on how to replace hd on a vaio fz11z uk model?starting from the basics,like where is the hd situated and how easy it is to replace the hd...
thanks

[Recess]

Hello everybody.

I've had a PCG FR315B since 2001, and with all the updates to XP over the years, even a clean install of it means it runs slower than a... slow thing. So, I decided to upgrade to Vista.

Everything i need works - apart from trying to get online. Sure, if I plug directly into the router using the ethernet connection, I'm online, but as the router is in a cupboard under the stairs, I prefer a wireless connection in my (more comfortable) office.

Option 1 - Netgear PCMCIA card. After install, I get a 'No Device IDs' error, and Vista doesn't see it in device manager (i just get a Unknown Network Controller listing).

Option 2 - USB wireless thing - which, once installed, gives me a blue screen of death.

Now, I know everyone's thinking "Why's he in touch here, surely he should ask Netgear" - but there's no knowledge base issue on there for this, and as both elements work 100% fine with XP on the 315 - and work 100% with Vista on my HP9000 notebook, I have to assume it's something the Vaio doesn't like, rather than something the Netgear products don't like about Vista.

In order to get audio devices etc working, I downloaded the updated Sony NC from the OP - so thanks very much, eveything works beautifully - i just wish i could get online!!!

So - after all that, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

John

[immediate]

Apologies if the information I need is already here, but I have really searched and can't find it!

I have just upgraded my VGN-A417S to Vista Ultimate. Everything seems to be working except the volume and brightness buttons etc. I tried to follow the first post here as this problem was mentioned, but I couldn't find the drivers in the page linked, plus my machine wasn't listed.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Allan

[Thalamus.]

Hi Allan,

welcome to Club Vaio..

You should find the Vista utilities for your VGN-A417S HERE

[immediate]

Thank you very much for your words of welcome, and for the link. I have downloaded the files and most have installed.

However, Setting Utility Series gives the error:

"The installed version of the application could not be determined. The setup will now terminate."

I have tried to check the original Vaio Recovery Utility to see if it is there, but that gives the error:

"This software can only be operated by administrator user accounts."

There is only one account on the computer and it is an administrator account!

I have downloaded the Sony Notebook Control Device updates from Microsoft but there is no "Unknown Device" showing in Device Manager, so I can’t install them.

Other problems which might or might not be related are:

Windows Explorer frequently stops working and re-starts when I go to Computer and try to open a disk drive, or to Control Panel Programs & Features. It always works after it has re-started.

After booting I always get:

"TASK SCHEDULER ENGINE HAS STOPPED WORKING
Windows will try to find a solution"

Windows fails to find a solution.

Many thanks again for your help. I am stuck!

Allan

[immediate]

A quick update: I found Setting Utility Series showing in the Programs & Features list of installed programs, so I uninstalled it. I was then able to install the new one downloaded from the Vaio site and, after a reboot, my volume and brightness buttons worked (YAY!) without needing to install the downloads from Microsoft.

So, again many thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

The other problems remain:

Explorer frequently stops working and re-starts when I go to Computer and try to open a disk drive, or to Control Panel Programs & Features. It always works after it has re-started.

Some minutes after booting I always get:

"TASK SCHEDULER ENGINE HAS STOPPED WORKING
Windows will try to find a solution"

Windows fails to find a solution.

And a new one: I will be typing quite happily when suddenly the cursor jumps to the top of the screen and I find I'm writing in the middle of the first paragraph! Very irritating.

Any ideas much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Allan

[orion180]

Greetings!
I installed in my VGN-A197VP the Vista Ultimate, also i install in this order:

Sony Utilities
Sony Shared Library
Vaio Event Service
Setting Utility Series

but my hotkeys, dvd, brightness, + -, S1... does not work

Some help,please?

Thanks a lot

[lionelm]

Hi Loathsome,
I went to Vaio vista upgrade website but couldn't find VGN-S2XP dowloads. I know 3 years in technology is a lot but when you spend £1800 for a machine you would expect a bit more... I've tried at the beginning of the year to upgrade to vista , and got back to XP but wish to try again but still no downloads for my model. A bit frustrating when I have bought the full version of Windows Vista Ultimate OS.
By the way I backed up before my first try to upgrade to vista, then tried to restore my Sonictage library, I've got all the albums and tracks back but when I want to listen to any song the file couldn't be found and need to plug my external drive to be able to listen to music. What would be the best way to restore about 200 albums without to restore them tracks by tracks?
Regards. :smileygrin:

[vaiomatti]

Hello,
I've a vgn-fz21z and just installed the RM clock and did as you guided. However, the whining did not disappear. What should I do?

[vaiomatti]

Hello,
I've a vgn-fz21z and just installed the RM clock and did as you guided. However, the whining did not disappear. What should I do?

Is the whining a Sony Vaio problem or a Windows Vista problem? Please, answer someone...