Solved Function keys don't work after clean install

[hazel123]

Hi. I just meant that the webcam wasn't recognised until I installed the driver from the sony website.

 

[Geryhold]

On my Sony VAIO I reinstalled windows after some problems and now my brightness Fn keys don't work, display output, hibernate or any others.
How can I make them work?

Thank you


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For any Sony VAIO laptop after installing all the drivers you need to install all of this sequence.
1. SNY5001 - manual install

2. Install Sony Shared Library and then restart your computer !
3. Install Vaio Event Service
4. Set the Setting Utility Series and restart your computer !
5. Install VAIO CONTROL CENTER.
6. Webcam Druver Sony Visual Communication Camera - manual install


you get a successful work Fn buttons

 

[hazel123]

Greyhold's last post is the order I've found works best. Just done a clean install on a Vaio VPCCW2S1E. On this model I found it needed the Nvidia drivers installing from Sony drivers to be able to download and install the Windows updates, or the computer kept crashing. (Nvidia drivers didn't come up in first round of Windows updates and couldn't get past first round without installing them).

So Nvidia drivers, then Windows updates until all done.

Sony Firmware Parser extension needs to be installed before the other Sony drivers for function keys. But it might already be installed by Windows - eventually. So wait and keep doing Windows update and checking back. Eventually I just had "Base Device" showing with an exclamation mark (that is the Ricoh SD Card driver - there are three of those for my model - it's the one for the Sony sd card not the usual sd card slot). The SD card driver will only work if SFEP is there first I believe, so keep waiting till only the Base Device is showing as missing.

So if SFEP is installed then

1) Sony Shared Library
2) Vaio Event service (original driver first, then the later driver).

These two apparently enable Settings Utility to work to enable the function keys, so then

3) Setting Utility Series.
4) Ricoh SD driver (if you can be bothered ) I don't use the sony mini sd card slot.

All of those, except the SD card, can be installed by extracting and double clicking on setup. You are prompted to restart after each one. The Ricoh driver needs to be installed via device manager. I found it needed a couple of restarts.

And that is where I get a bit stuck! Because once those are installed, the function keys work but you also get the Sony software battery warning popping up (which I don't want) and the only way to turn it off is to install Vaio Control centre, which I also don't want.

So - I'm deliberating at the moment - I want a really clean install. I would like most function keys to work but not unwanted software as well.

Will post back if I find a better/more limited combination to enable most function keys but without the unwanted software.

Or if anyone else has found a way round not having the unwanted software then please advise!

Note re the Nvidia drivers on this model. I only installed the original one. The updated one has caused me some issues in the past (Windows Movie Maker not working was one), but could be worth trying. I've used my system for years with the original one.

 

[hazel123]

Ok I've been experimenting and reading around a bit. I messed up my clean install doing so, so have reinstalled from scratch again.

In short - you don't need any additional Sony Software/drivers, other than the Sony SD card driver, if you want to use that slot.

The important one is Sony Firmware Extension Parsing driver. Windows updates installs that. It might not show up in device Manager but the full name is on the installed Windows update, if you check the list of Windows updates.

Most of the top row and function keys work with nothing added. Escape and F11 work anyway. Mute works and volume up and down work. You won't need any of the Vaio buttons like Vaio assist with a clean install because there's no recovery partition (so you need a system image).

The two screen dimming/brightness keys don't work. I have never used them so I would prefer to keep a clean install with no additional Sony software/drivers.

However - if you want the screen brightness keys to work you only need to install:

Sony Shared library (first)
Vaio Event Service (original driver) second
Vaio Event Service (updated driver) third

That's it for function buttons. No need to go on and Install Settings utility service or any of the other Sony software. If you install settings utility service the battery pop-up software appears and there is no way of turning off this annoying pop-up unless you install Vaio control centre and Vaio Care.

Vaio care is the most annoying software ever. Vaio control centre only repeats functions that Windows has already and has a registry cleaner in its tune-up feature, which shouldn't be used.

In my opinion you don't need any of them and can have a nice clean install with nothing to adulterate it - Windows has all the functions needed.

But if you really want all function buttons operational then install the two listed above - Shared Library and Vaio Event service drivers.

The rest is unnecessary. Yes you lose the bits of software to turn wifi and blue tooth on and off and the battery saver settings, but the amount of rubbish that comes with them doesn't make it worthwhile having them.

So the options really are

1) Clean install of Windows and no screen dimming function key.
2) Clean install of Windows and add Sony Shared Library and Vaio Event Service in that order - if you want screen dimming function keys to work.

Nothing else is necessary. Although models may vary those are the two to enable function buttons without going down the whole route of installing ancient, unnecessary Sony software.

Anyway I'm happy - I have a really nice clean install, everything works except screen dimming and I can't even see the screen dimming buttons without a magnifying glass

 

[hazel123]

So to clarify, this was my install.

Install Windows as per the tutorial (I skipped on product key and wifi until after installation was complete). I also selected "Ask me later" re Windows updates, then set up Windows updated to download but ask me to install AFTER installing antivirus and Nvidia driver, so no conflicts.

Install antivirus.

Install original Nvidia driver. Follow instruction to restart.

Do all Windows updates

Mute and volume function keys working.

Nothing else needed.


If wanted:

Install Ricoh Sony SD card driver
Install Sony Shared Library and Vaio Event services original then updated drivers - if you want screen dimming buttons to work.

Made System Image.

Re-installed files and bookmarks.

Nothing else.


Note - the Nvidia drivers have both graphics and audio elements (both need to be ticked and are ticked by default). I believe these enable some of the function buttons. eg mute and volume.

Further note - I would highly recommend doing a system image before installing the updated Nvidia driver - it caused issues for me in the past so I've just stuck with the original Nvidia driver and not installed the updated one or Nvidia guard. That might be trial and error but definitely make a system image before attempting to install those.

Final note - this is more a Windows update issue. Clean install only has Internet Explorer 8. I found Windows updates kept crashing on first attempt. On second attempt I installed a few first, including Internet Explorer 11. When those were installed Windows updates didn't crash.