VGX series and Windows 7

[rockgatherer]

Hi,

Does anyone know if Sony are planning on providing Windows 7 drivers for the VGX series of machines?

I did an upgrade to Windows 7 RTM on my 2 month old VGX-TP3Z/B and all was OK except that I couldn't get any sound out via the HDMI port despite quite a lot of playing around with sound and graphics drivers. This appears to be quite a common problem with Windows 7 across a whole range of machines (Google it and see what I mean).

Anybody done a successful upgrade to W7 on a VGX box and got everything working? I've had to restore back to Vista...

Thanks in advance

[Dr_Stuart]

I did an upgrade to Windows 7 RTM on my 2 month old VGX-TP3Z/B and all was OK except that I couldn't get any sound out via the HDMI port despite quite a lot of playing around with sound and graphics drivers. This appears to be quite a common problem with Windows 7 across a whole range of machines (Google it and see what I mean).

Almost sorted it.

Good news : I've sorted out the sound problem. Once you've upgraded go into Control Panel>'Programs and Features' and from there remove 'IDT Audio'. Then go into Computer>Device Manager and into the "Sound,Video and blah . . " and if you can see it unistall the SigmalTel Codec.Still within Device Manager scan for hardware changes - the SigmaTel should return as a Hig Definition Audio Device. Finally go to Control Panel> Sound and you should now have a 'High Definition Audio Device' and a 'RealTek Blah'. Right click on the High Def one and make it the default, and then test it. You should now have sound

The bad news : I can't get the Blu-ray player to work - any advice anyone?

[rockgatherer]

Thanks very much, I'll give that a go and report back to confirm (W7 media center seems significantly faster and more stable than Vista with the TV Pack installed).

My Blu-Ray player seemed to work OK - what are the symptoms you are seeing? Did you try it before tinkering with the HDMI drivers?

[Dr_Stuart]

It doesn't play Blu-Ray disks any more - (Normal DVD's are fine).
It switches over to Intervideo WinDVD OK, changes the colour scheme as normal, the disk spins for a while and then nothing else happens.

Please let me know how you get on.

I think its something to do with BluRay hardware (BC-5500A) I've also tried the latest demo version of WinDVD (on a different partition).

[Bountydublin]

Hello,
if someone could help me because I have big trouble with my Vaio vgx xl 202...
Indeed, with windows 7..it doesn't work properly.
I would like to upgrade my motherboard but I have no answers...
no sound, aero, ..what's to be done?
Thank you
Bounty

[rockgatherer]

Dr_Stuart, soz for the delay had to prize the missus away from the TV long enough to do the upgrade back to W7!

Confirmed - the fix that Dr_Stuart put up does indeed work for W7 and this VGX box. You can also do it without doing an uninstall by going into the playback devices, select the HDMI sound device go through the 'Properties', select 'Upgrade Device Drivers' and then select from a list rather than letting W7 do an automatic scan. The non-Sigmatel driver will be on the list and you can install this instead. Sound via HDMI will then work.

One thing I do note is that it says this other driver (rather than the Sigmatel one) is not HDCP compatible. Perhaps this is the cause of the lack of Blu-Ray problem for you? I now use the Vaio's optical output rather than the HDMI (just got a home cinema system - nice) for sound most of the time. Perhaps that is the reason it won't play Blu-Ray (note I'm using the latest WinDVD download from the Vaio support page - 20/10/2009)? I'll try playing a Blu-Ray with sound via HDMI myself later this week when I have a moment to spare.

With this in mind, the Cyberlink BluRay adviser may be able to diagnose the problem (http://www.cyberlink.com/prog/bd-support/diagnosis.do). My system comes up as all clear (except for the Player because this little tool only checks for the right PowerDVD version) - how does yours fare? Again, I'll change my setup to use the HDMI sound (now that it works) and see what this tool reports.

Hope this helps

[rockgatherer]

Looks like my initial optimism was unfounded. I get exactly the same as Dr_Stuart when trying to play blu-rays under W7. Am now trying a combination of graphics drivers and trial versions of blu-ray players to see if I can get it working - no joy so far.

[rockgatherer]

Further to my previous post, the only combination of graphics card driver and blu ray player I have found so far which works on this Win 7 upgraded VGX box is Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre 3 Platinum with the standard Vista graphics drivers.

PowerDVD9, and the OEM WinDVD8 both don't work with (apparently) any combination of drivers. I haven't tried the later versions of WinDVD yet - I'll have a play this weekend.

Would really like to use the OEM WinDVD and not have to shell out £60...

[rockgatherer]

Further to my previous post, the only combination of graphics card driver and blu ray player I have found so far which works on this Win 7 upgraded VGX box is Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre 3 Platinum with the standard Vista graphics drivers.

PowerDVD9, and the OEM WinDVD8 both don't work with (apparently) any combination of drivers.  I haven't tried the later versions of WinDVD yet - I'll have a play this weekend.

Would really like to use the OEM WinDVD and not have to shell out £60...

WinDVD 9 also works fine...

[Bountydublin]

Hi,

that's better now...ok for aero, motherboard upgrade and so on...
But I always have 2 troubles :
- during the first screen for windows 7...on the right, there is a colored bar and the logo windows 7 I don't see it...after all is ok.
- If I wish use the button restart for win7..there is a pb..it doesn't work

thank you for your help

Bounty