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.
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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.
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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+

[MadMattUK]

You must install in this order:

Sony Utilities
Sony Shared Library
Vaio Event Service
Setting Utility Series


I installed evrything, it works on a vgn-tx1, but not on the vgn-a217s - Has somone the same problem? - or a solution?

thx


I am having issues with my A217S. I have following the instructions and installed in sequesnce and the S1, volume buttons and the DVD tray button do not work. The new black memory stick icon won't install and the wireless switch utility appears OK but will not turn off the bluetooth.

Any help for the VGN-A217S to fix these last remaining issues would be very much appreciated.

Gary

I have exactly the same problem but with the VGN-A197XP. Vista works fine apart from the following issues...

Bluetooth is always on (despite being off on Switch Utility)
DVD tray, Volume, S Button, Zoom, Brightness all dont work
Memory Stick icon does not appear

Any help would be most appreciated.

Cheers

[Sundby]

Hi,
Can't get my headphone jack working.. Speakers work ok but as soon as I plug in headphones - the bloody thing goes into silent mode..

Anybody else have this problem??

VGN-SZ2XP with the Sigmatel drivers installed as provided by Sony.

Cheers

[phoenix198]

Nice thread, thanks to the OP!

I now have Vista Home Premium installed on my VGN-SX1XP/C. I did a clean install from an Upgrade disk - it took about 25 minutes on the first (no serial number, no activate) install then 40 minutes or so for the 'proper' upgrade. I haven't activated it yet because, to my mind, I'm still evaluating Vista's compatibility with the SZ1XP/C.

I had previously downloaded all of the Vista updates for the SZ1XP/C to my 'D' drive and worked my way through these in the recommended order , mostly without any issues other than that several of the Sony application installers do not have confirmatory 'Finished' type dialogue boxes which was a little unsettling. The 'Trusted platform Module' (TPM) driver installation also failed on the first pass but then seemed to install OK on a second attempt.

At this stage Device Manager still showed two items requiring drivers: 'Mass Storage Device' and 'Unidentified Device'. I solved the first one by using the XP driver from the 'Preinstalled Drivers ', installing it from Device Manager. The OP's SonyNC.cab file seems to have solved the 'Unidentified Device' issue, but only after a couple of problems:

- I couldn't figure out how to extract the .inf and other files from the .cab file so that Device Manager could recognise them without installing WinRAR or similar. Then I realised just how simple it is: open the cab file Explorer, then right click on all four files inside it and select 'Extract File'!

- The driver installation process from Device Manager threw up a couple of pretty dire warnings about compatibility of the driver with the hardware which I clicked through only to be met with a BSOD hardware protection fault! Fortunately this seems to have resolved itself after a reboot and although I haven't fully tested keyboard functionality yet, the volume and screen brightness controls seem to work OK. Haven't tested whether the computer wakes properly after closing and reopening the screen yet, either.

Unlike some others, I don't seem to have a problem with fan noise or fan whine, and Power Management now has a configurable Vaio Optimised setting inside it

My only remaining issues are the Trusted Platform Module and Protector Suite. Both load to the System Tray but neither are functional; I get a warning dialogue about 'TPM not being initialised' and to check the BIOS settings. Those are tasks for later today although I can live without the TPM and Protector Suite anyway ...

In the meantime, thanks again to the original poster!

[Sebby]

Did you do anything 'special' to get VAIO Power Management working? I can't for the life of me get it to work.

[phoenix198]

Did you do anything 'special' to get VAIO Power Management working? I can't for the life of me get it to work.

I don't think so! I just installed the VAIO applications in the sequence described here and the 'Vaio Optimized' settings mysteriously appeared in Power Management.

[cxfwwvwwdccw]

Anyone figured out how to get proper ACPI for FE31Z under Vista?

This model (and I am betting many others too) does not get battery remaining estimations... Anyone know of a workaround?

[Sebby]

I don't think so!  I just installed the VAIO applications in the sequence described here  and the 'Vaio Optimized' settings mysteriously appeared in Power Management.

Ah, but do you actually have the options, or does your Power Management look like this?

http://www.sebby.me.uk/vaio/power_management.jpg

[Dilirius]

Important Information for everybody who has Problems with his FN-/S-Keys and the Control Center. Go into you Bios and look for the option: "Hotkey Event Code". XP uses Type 1. Vista Type 2 or 3. On my 285H it was 2. Try it. It fixed ALL my problems with windows vista. Look in my Thread in this board.

[vlad177]

Where can I get MemoryStick Icon Registry patch?

Sorry for this - but search is not working.

[Thalamus.]

Where can I get MemoryStick Icon Registry patch?

Sorry for this - but search is not working.

Hi vlad177,

welcome to Club vaio..

you can download the MemoryStick Icon Registry patch from here