Toshiba Problems

[CheatingSoi]

Not sure where to post this but, after I have installed windows 7, I am no longer able to access my built in Toshiba Satellite settings. Before, in Vista, I could hold FN and then it displayed a task bar on the top of the screen with options like touch pad and brightness for my laptop. I can no longer access this and I cant seem to adjust my brightness any other way. Even when i unplug my laptop, the brightness used to go down to 50% but it no longer does. I used that FN button all of the time and I dont want to be without it. Any ideas?

 

[johngalt]

Yup - get the latest version of the Toshiba Settings program (whatever they call it - I don't own one myself so I am not sure) that is slated to work with Vista (or W7 if they have them) from the Toshiba support website.

I'd also look around there for any one else reporting issues with W7 so you can be forewarned.

 

[CheatingSoi]

I've been looking around and It seems there is nothing I can do. Just because of this reason I want to downgrade back to vista because those options are necessary for me. Unfortunately I have no vista disk so I'm stuck

 

[SquonkSC]

Are there no little blue sun icons on your keyboard (usually up, down or left, right keys)??

If they are there. Hold Fn key and press the sun up for lighter, and down for darker(or left, right).

All the other blue icons on your keyboard can be accessed holding the Fn key.

Good luck.

 

[johngalt]

He needs the interactive menu that pops up when it is pre-installed with Vista. Please read the question again.

@Cheating - are you sure they are not available from Toshiba's support website? Give me a model number and I will see if the utility is available for download

 

[CheatingSoi]

Are there no little blue sun icons on your keyboard (usually up, down or left, right keys)??

If they are there. Hold Fn key and press the sun up for lighter, and down for darker(or left, right).

All the other blue icons on your keyboard can be accessed holding the Fn key.

Good luck.

I know thats what doesnt work. usually I would hold FN, then a menu would pop up and I could change brightness and other settings with the F# keys, I cant even do it without the menu. I Press FN and F6 with the sun down and nothing happens.

TOSHIBA Accessibility Software Informer: Latest version download, news and info about this TOSHIBA program. This utility allows you to configure and enable Fn-Sticky Keys

I have located the link to the software but its not going to do any good because there is no Windows 7 support. There has to at least be a way to change the brightness somehow. Theres got to be some program out there that allows me to change it.

 

[johngalt]

Sigh.

OK, model number and I'll look for it on Toshiba's website.

Utilities that run under Vista usually work well on W7. I have similar set of utilities for my HP Tablet PC that I upgraded from Vista business to W7 RC - and every single one (including fingerprint reader) works like a charm.

Please read what I wrote and follow it - 3rd party sites like Software informer are not the best source for software that pertain to your laptop, your Manufacturer is.

 

[CheatingSoi]

I have been looking around and other people seem to be having the same problem. It seems it's just not supported. I have a Toshiba Satellite A355

 

[johngalt]

Toshiba's Support website is not loading for me in 3 browsers. I'll continue to look.

in the meantime you *could* try the one you found via SI - be sure to run the program in Vista compatibility mode - see if it works. You may have to also set the actual program itself to run in Vista compatibility mode....

 

[CheatingSoi]

I didnt install anything but I found the toshiba accessibility program and ran in Vista mode and it ran but I dont think this is the program I am lookign for. Or if it, is it still doesn't allow me to do anything.

 

[johngalt]

Sorry, I was being obtuse.

Not only am I talking about running the installer in Vista compatibility mode, but also the program itself after it is installed on your computer.

 

[CheatingSoi]

Yeah, but I didint install it, I just ran the one I already had and it comes up and allows me to check off the things it does but I never had this menu before so I dont know if this is the right program. When i got my PC, I just had it from the get-go. I simply pressed FN and the menu popped up so I never knew what it was called. Anyway, When I turn on the FN Accessibility it doesn't do anything even though running in Vista mode did work.

 

[johngalt]

from support.toshiba.com:

Toshiba Drivers and Software for Windows 7 Release Candidate
Microsoft's public release of Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 (RC1; Build 7100) was on May 5, 2009.
To find any available Windows 7 beta drivers for your model, simply click the Download link, above, and select your model.

While viewing the list of software for your model, you can shorten the list to only Windows 7 downloads by selecting "Windows 7" as the operating system using the "Refine Search by" filtering tools above the list of downloads. If "Windows 7" is not available as an operating system search filter, that means there is no beta software available for your selected model at this time.

There are numerous A355 Satellites listed, so you'll have to give me more info or figure it out yourself.

Next time when I say go to the support website, please do.

 

[CheatingSoi]

I am searching. Mine is a Satellite A355-S6924. I dont see anything in there for my problem though

 

[SquonkSC]

He needs the interactive menu that pops up when it is pre-installed with Vista. Please read the question again.

Hi John,

I did read the question, but he stated Toshiba had no Win7 sw for him,
so I tried to give him a workaround.

Sadly that didn't work either.

He could try it trough his graphics card options, if there are any.

Older laptops and Win7 are not best friends that's for sure.

 

[johngalt]

I see 9 items listed for Windows 7 and 8 for Windows 7 64bit. I would take a look at the Toshiba Value Added Package - that seems like it might be the correct one.

@squon - Understandable. However, I knew there is W7 software available....

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/...delFilter=&selCategory=3&selFamily=1073768663

 

[CheatingSoi]

Yeah thats the only one that I am downloading. If this fails to work, I might downgrade to vista. Would I have to buy it even though it was my default OS?

 

[johngalt]

You *should* have a way to restore the laptop to its original factory state - read your documentation for that on exactly how to go about doing that.

Otherwise, you'll have to find a Vista installer, use your OEM key (should be on the bottom of the laptop) and then reinstall all the drivers and apps by hand.

 

[CheatingSoi]

I was looking here Toshiba Support Forums: Qosmio F50 - Fn Keys not working ...

I thought for sure that would fix it because thats one the guy said in one of the posts but it didnt seem to do anything :-(

 

[johngalt]

I assume you've gotten the one from the page I linked you to? The drop down box allows you to filter by OS - so if you have Windows 7 32bit select Windows 7 - and you get only 9 items, one of which is a TVAP for W7. If you have W7 64bit, you select Windows 7 x64 - and you get 8 items, again one of which is the TVAP.

You need to know which version of W7 you're running - and get the appropriate one.