Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900 Issues

[Wonderman]

I have a Sony laptop ( 2 years old ). Sont is not supporting it for Vista
but through trial and error I have gotten everything to work except the VGA
ouput. It runs through the first boot screens bu no joy after that. I have
installed all the same or similar drivers from Sony for machines similar and
still nothing.

Iwas wondering if there was any experiens out there as to how to get this to
work ? I'm wondering if an Intel driver moght do the trick ?
Also the Sony drivers for on screen volume and video dont work either.
Might be model # specific ?

 

[JW]

Depending on which Intel graphics chip your laptop has you may not be able
to get any support under Vista for it. Check the following link for
details.

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/cs-023606.htm

 

[Wonderman]

Thanks. I hunted around for a link like that and came up dry.

I'm wondering if the VGA output is a function of the Intel driver or the
system chip ?

 

[dean-dean]

What is the Model Name|Number of your Sony Laptop? For example, VGN-A790.
"

 

[Wonderman]

VGN-FS640/W I have used some drivers from the VGN-FS640 that has the
same specs.

 

[dean-dean]

In Device Manager, expand Display Adapters. Is the device called Standard
VGA Graphics Card, or is it showing something else?

As to your sound driver, you can download the latest one For Vista here:

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads...=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

Obtain the download for "Vista Driver(32/64 bits) Driver only (Executable
file)", version R1.72. Once downloaded, right-click on Vista_R172a.exe,
choose Properties, and click on Unblock. Then right-click on that file
again, and choose Run as Administrator. If the installation wizard asks if
you want remove your previous driver, say yes. Restart the computer, then,
if the new driver is not installed, or if Windows' generic driver is
installed, then run Vista_R172a.exe, as Administrator, one more time.

 

[Wonderman]

Thnaks on Sound Driver. I had installed it fromthe Sony site with somewhat
decentresults. Will revert back and follow your instrucitons.

Device manager reports TWO Mobile Intel ( 915 chipset...900 ) Need to get
video out the VGA port or its back to XP for me due to business use for
presentations.

This was a clean install of Vista Home Premium. It previously had Standard
Graphics etc.

 

[dean-dean]

I forgot to mention in my previous post, that when you click on Unblock, be
sure to click on Apply, then OK.

Your Intel Wireless Network driver is here:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det... Vista* Home Premium, 32-bit version&lang=eng

Download V11.1.1.0_VT_DRIVERS.zip. Right-click V11.1.1.0_VT_DRIVERS.zip,
choose Properties, then click on Unblock (Apply, OK). Extract the files,
then right-click on DPInst32.EXE, and choose Run as Administrator.

The important drivers from here, for Vista, are these. This should get your
FN buttons, sound buttons, screen signals, etc., working:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGNFS640&UpdateType=Migration

VAIO® Event Services Update 01/30/2007

Sony® Shared Library Update 01/30/2007

VAIO® TV Tuner Library Update 01/30/2007

Sony® Utilities DLL Update 01/30/2007

Sony® Battery Check Utility Update 01/30/2007

Setting Utility Series Update 02/14/2007 (the earlier-dated one is a more
recent version than the later-dated one, don't ask me why)

Sony® Notebook Control Device Driver 03/16/2007

Microsoft® Update KB935333 04/19/2007

Sony® Programmable I/O Control Device Driver 05/22/2007


The driver you should use for your Display is the Intel one provided on the
Vista Installation, according to Intel. In other words, the correct driver
is not one you should download (there isn't one for Vista). I'm not sure
what to make of the fact that you have two drivers listed under Display
adapters. The correct one would be Mobile Intel 915GM...(Microsoft
Corporation). From the info from Intel's website: "Included on Windows
Vista installation DVD 14.17 (Build 4656)". I would uninstall both, and
start over, updating it to the correct one, by picking it from the list in
Device Manager.

 

[Wonderman]

Thank You -

I wanted to get back to the Vista graphics driver and went through the Intel
web site looking for a removal tool for their updated software from Sony
that I installed. Nothing there. It is not listed separately in control
panel - programs either. I'm sure just deleting the two incidences ( I
think there are two due to one for the LCD and one for the VGA output ) will
casue them to be reinstalled during a hardware search / reboot.

 

[dean-dean]

Well, by updating them in Device Manager I meant that, on the Driver tab,
choose Update Driver. Then choose "Browse
my computer for driver software." Then Choose "Let me pick from a list of
device drivers on my computer." It should then show the compatible choices.
If not, you can un-check "Show compatible hardware", looking under Intel as
the Manufacturer (but choosing ones with Microsoft in parentheses; those are
the ones that came pre-installed from the disk). If you choose Mobile Intel
915GM...(Microsoft Corporation), perhaps the "correct pair" will follow suit
automatically. At least that's how it usually works with VGA output, in my
experience. Note, too that Sony recommends the notebook utility drivers be
installed before dealing with the Video driver, probably so that all the
resource ducks are all in a row, and any calls to the BIOS that those
utilities might employ are engaged.

 

[Wonderman]

I’m happy to report that the laptop is fully functional in all respects. I
downloaded and successfully installed all the files for the other machine
( FS640 s. my FS 640/w ) and everything works perfectly!

Hard to believe Sony does not list this machine as being Vista capable and
they don’t support it either ! I went from 512 t a gig memory and up to a
5400 rpm drive. Runs much better and faster.

I cant thank you enough for your patient and detailed responses !

 

[dean-dean]

I'm glad to hear your laptop is now functional. Speaking from experience,
with a Sony laptop myself, Sony wasn't exactly on top of it providing Vista
drivers early in the game. In your case, it looks like they are skipping it
altogether for your model. It's good, though, you were able to "borrow" the
drivers and utilities from VGN-FS640. I borrowed a few from other models
myself, when the installer allowed me to do so. This also requires a bit of
investigation as to whether the downloads are totally appropriate for your
hardware, or your laptop model, etc. As it turned out, all the ones I need
are now under my model name; just a little tardy.

If possible, keep your drivers like Sound and Wireless Connection updated
from the original manufacture (keep an eye on those links, and check for
updates occasionally). Sony updates these 3rd party hardware drives as
little as possible, if ever. As to your Display, however, it doesn't appear
that that will ever be an option, unless it's through Windows Update.
Caution: don't install other optional drivers from Windows Update, because
the "update" may well downgrade your driver, or cause it to not work at all.

One more of your drivers, Intel® PRO/100 VE Network Connection Driver,
appears to be here:
http://support.intel.com/support/network/sb/cs-006103.htm (Unblock, Run as
Admin, etc.).

 

[Wonderman]

I have edited the Windows update service to not update hardware.



Interestingly though in running update after the Sony files the graphics
driver updates\d again as well as the audio. Device Manager shows
everything is a proprietary driver. Even the Memory Stick Driver !

 

[dean-dean]

Yes, Device Manger will show the actual manufacturer of the Device. But
this is where it gets tricky. Does the Manufacturer supply the driver for
the device, or does the Manufacturer supply the driver to the Computer
Manufacturer (in your case, Sony). One example being " Alps Pointing-device
for VAIO", made by Alps, but supplied to Sony. Or your Memory Card reader is
probably another example (I use my Sony-supplied XP driver for this, which
works. Normally, though, avoid XP drivers on Vista. This "Texas Instruments
PCI7420 Integrated FlashMedia Controller", on my computer,
just seems to be an exception to that rule). Sometimes, both sources make
it available, sometimes not. Of course, Sony has a few of it's own entries
in Device Manager, in which case Sony must be the source of the driver. In
the case of Display adapters, Sony has pretty much left it to Microsoft to
supply the Vista driver for older versions of laptops.

As to your Sound driver For Realtek High Definition Audio, which I also use,
Device Manager should show the Version as 6.0.1.5449, dated 7/18/2007. This
is one driver you do not want from Windows Update (along with Network
adapters), or from Sony...

 

[dean-dean]

Re-reading your post, I suppose it would be okay to update the Display
adapter from Windows Update, since you are using the "Microsoft Corporation"
driver for that particular device, if the Update is recently dated. If you
do so, take note of the version number for the driver you have now, and
compare it to the version number you have after the Update. If the driver's
version is lower, or if it doesn't pan out for whatever reason, you can
always choose to Roll Back the Driver in Device Manager, on the Driver tab.

 

[Wonderman]

Sony seems to have fallen on hard times just about the time they would have
had to invest a bit in Vista. Much to my chagrin they are out of the
desktop business at the same time too.

IE - I have a two year old desktop with their Gigapocket recorder. Same
situation as this laptop. They told me they werent going to support it in
Vista yet the XP driver works just fine.

I am a bit of a purist in that I do clean installs and run into these issues
now and then.