If we can keep the Win7 discussion on this thread then I’ll update this post to hold the most current info.

Touchpad: Original drivers work OK
Video: The standard VGA drivers will do 1024x768 but not 1280x768
Audio: Original drivers work OK

I’ll update this as info comes in on this thread.

Chris

On my test, so far every part of TR that works in Vista just works in Windows 7, including the graphics driver. But unfortunately the only working graphics driver for the TR seems to be the XDDM one in Vista and nowhere else—Unlike Vista, 7 doesn’t come with any graphic driver for TR and cannot grab it from its online driver db or Windows Update. Luckily I had the Vista installation backed up, so I just restored the Vista and grabbed the driver back before I switched to 7 again. I also found that exporting and installing drivers this way is more flexible..

Did you get this driver by installing Vista and then doing the “upgrade”?

If I can get the graphics fixed then I’ll be all done, so currently trying to find a way of doing it…

Chris

It was a clean install (using Windows Easy Transfer to transfer settings back afterwards though—it shouldn’t matter for the graphics). I too wanted to perform an in-place upgrade too to eliminate all this trouble but my hard drive was full and it needed 8 GB of free space to continue.

I’ve uploaded the drivers extracted here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E6LGD1S7

mixty

Many thanks for uploading those - rather strangely they don’t work on mine. It happily installs the driver (Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller (Microsoft Corporation - XDDM) but then gives it the nasty ! and tells me in the properties that “Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)”.

Rather strange; I thought all the TRs had the same graphics hardware. Is there some weird Vista compat-mode type way I’m supposed to install the driver?

Chris

Sorry it didn’t work for you. Did you try this already?

1) Open “Device Manager” and uninstall both the graphic devices and select “Delete the driver software for this device”
2) Switch to the standard driver (1024x768)
3) Install again the drivers to both graphics devices it’s detected.

It was smooth installing the driver for me though.

Is this a driver that can be installed during the installation process? (with signed driver req. disabled)

Hi all,

Thanks for the tip on the screen rez - I’ll try that soon, but for some reason I can’t get the wireless working. Anyone got a driver for that which works? TR5MP (UK version).

Is there any news on the fuc***g Motion Eye Cam in our TRs?

I thought about removing the cam and put in another model from a different Vaio. Does anyone have experience with this?

Christoph

UPDATED 11/04/09

This was originally written for Windows 7RC but notes shown in ORANGE text are for the boxed version of Windows 7.  Go ahead and follow these instructions, but the 1280x768 display, the SoundMax and wireless won’t work until you establish an Internet connection by direct cable.  Do a Windows update and drivers will automatically update.  Reboot.  Everything (except for HotKeys and PowerPanel) works great.  There are work-arounds for those. Good luck.

How to Install Windows 7RC on the TR
(Build 7100 on a PCG-TR3A)

After installing Windows 7RC, you’ll need to do the following to get the display working properly in 1280 x 768.

Open Device Manager.
Select menu item “ACTION”, then “ADD LEGACY HARDWARE”.
Select the option to install manually.
Select “Display Adapters”
Scroll to Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller.
Boxed version: Windows update will fix this. 
At this point, put “User Account Control Settings” to it’s lowest setting.

System will reboot.  The monitor will automatically change to “Digital Flat Panel 1280 x 780”.

Next, install Windows Updates.

If you have Anti-Virus Software, install it next.  If not, you can do it later.  I recommend Avast.  It is free.
11/04/09; Microsoft Security Essentials seems to be even better.  It is free.

All of the drivers mentioned below are available on the Sony support download site.

Install drivers (from Sony web site), in this order.  The order of #1, 2, 3 and 4 are very important.

1. Utilities (Reboot)

2. Sony Shared Library (Reboot)

3. Programmable IO Device

4. Control Device Driver (Reboot)

5. SoundMax (Reboot)
Boxed version: Windows update will fix this.

6. NETWORKING - Install Intel Pro 100

7. NETWORKING - Install WLAN
Boxed version: Windows update will fix this.

8. CAMERA - (Optional and a word of caution…)

If your camera is broken like mine, avoid loading the driver as it may crash Windows 7 when you try to uninstall the driver.  I had to restore the system to an earlier restore point just to get rid of it.  Without the driver installed, you’ll see an ‘unknown device’ in Device Manager.  Just disable it.

9. TOUCHPAD - (Optional)

Note about TouchPad - there are compatibility issues, but seems to work OK.  Ignore any error messages and select ‘run program’.

I suggest using the standard PS/2 mouse driver instead, (although I haven’t found a way to turn off tapping).
Boxed version: I’m still using the PS/2 driver and it works fine.  I cannot confirm if the Sony driver works or not.  I won’t be using it.

OTHER NOTES:
 
Note about the Hotkeys utility:  The Volume control on-screen-display works, but has no effect on volume unless you do the following.  Go to the folder where Hotkeys are installed.  This is probably C:\Program Files\Sony\Hotkey Utility.  Right click on HKSERV.EXE and select PROPERTIES, then the COMPATIBILITY tab.  Apply Windows XP (SP2) compatibility mode, then click OK.  Do the same for HKWND.EXE.  With both files running in XP SP2 mode, the volume control will work after a reboot. 
Boxed version: None of the above works with the boxed version.  I’m still working on it.  If you found a solution, please post it below.  In the mean time, here is a temporary work-around.
1. You can program your power button for “sleep” mode in Windows power settings.
2. The freeware program “3RVX” creates your own volume control & mute short keys.  Download it at http://matt.malensek.net/#/Software/
3. That leaves only the display brightness function unresolved.

If you have an error message or no sound, the SoundMax driver needs to be uninstalled in Device Manager, then do a “scan for hardware chanages” to reinstall it.  This takes only a few seconds to do.

Note about Power Panel:  I suggest uninstalling Power Panel and using the Windows 7 power profiles instead.  Sony’s Power Panel is unstable.

Note about Sony Notebook Setup - Program does not run, but this is not an essential program because all of the settings can be made elsewhere.  However, do not uninstall Sony Notebook Setup.

Note about Aero translucentsy in Windows 7:  The TR hardware does not support this.  Some Aero features work, but I know nothing about Aero, so I have nothing more to report here.

LAN Activity Lights (Optional third-party freeware utility)  Microsoft eliminated the little LAN activity monitor (blinking lights in the System Tray) in Windows 7.  Here is one that operates like the one in XP.  It uses a little more system resources, but I cannot live without it.  Be sure to download the full NT version and not the Windows 98 version.  Also, be sure to run it in XP compatibility mode.
Link:  http://www.dalesplace.net/download/lanlight.php

Continuation of above post.  (I reached maximum number of characters above).

UPDATED: 07/03/09:  Note added about DVD playback.

DVD Playback:  Movies play fine, but the DVD’s root menu and title pages may give you trouble, sometimes appearing solid green.

In Windows Media Player, right click and select “Exit Full Screen”, reduce the window size until you can read the root menu and title pages.  Once you select the feature you want to watch, then you can go back to full screen and the movie plays fine.

You’re using windows xp drivers from the sony site? I suppose this works with Windows 7 ultimate, but in the future if I’m purchasing the cheaper Windows 7 I’ll probably be screwed with all this xp compatibility. Right?

I was concerned about this too until I did some further study.  “XP Mode” is different that XP Compatibility.  XP Mode will be offered in the Professional and Ultimate versions to run a virtual machine that requires a processor that supports Virtual Technology (VT).  If I understand things correctly, when programs run in XP Mode, the window border will have a different color indicating “virtualized”.  People like me who use minimal hardware are out of luck when it comes to XP Mode.  I don’t have processors that support VT, so I too am buying just the Home Premium editions.

I’m 99% confident that Windows 7 Home Premium will have the same XP, Win98 & Win95 compatibility settings (selected via the automatic dialog window or in “Properties”) as Windows 7 RC has.  The main difference is that the programs will be running in a Windows 7 window, not in the virtualized window.  But it seems logical that XP Mode will be much more reliable than simply running in XP compatibility.  However, XP compatibility has worked quite well on my old programs.  As mentioned above, the only program I’ve found that does not work is Sony Notebook Setup.  No big loss there.  I should add that I don’t play computer games, so I cannot offer a report on game software.

To answer your other question, yes, I used the XP drivers off of the Sony web site, except for the Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller driver, which is included in the Windows 7 (Build 7100) “Legacy Hardware” menu in Device Manager.

Deleted by s22s.  Redundant information.

Just want to say congrats to the TR owners, being able to install Win 7 with a workaround.  I’ve actually tried using the instructions here on an S170 but to no avail.

EDIT:
I’ve actually taken the plunge once again.  I don’t mean to hijack this thread for the S series but the TR seems to have similar issues with Win7.  Plus, there isn’t anyone interested in the S series thread so I’m asking for advice here.

This install after many other has gone well.  Sound card drivers actually installed from Windows Update and worked first time! 

The only thing I need assistance with is the Function Keys.  I’ve tried right click-properties-compatibility-winxp sp2 method, but it didn’t do the trick.  After a couple of more tries, I’ve foolishly uninstalled Fn Key program and now it wont REinstall, for some odd reason.  No matter how many times I try to install, it finishes installation but Fn Key folder is empty.

EDIT2:
After reinstalling all other sony programs (utilities, shared library, etc.) I was able to get HotKey Utility folder back.  But changing compatibility still doesn’t work.  nothing even shows up on the screen.

Any advice?

Hello ne0star.

Does your Volume Control and other non-brightness FN keys work?

You may have already performed these tasks, but just in case:

1. Turn off “User Account Control”

2. Go to the folder where Hotkeys are installed.  This is probably C:\Program Files\Sony\Hotkey Utility.  Right click on HKSERV.EXE and select PROPERTIES, then the COMPATIBILITY tab.  Apply Windows XP (SP2) compatibility mode, then click OK.  Do the same for HKWND.EXE.  Reboot.

I’m not sure how the TR1 software differs from the TR3.  The TR3 Hotkey Utility works fine with Window 7 as long as these settings are performed.

You might try changing screen brightness in your PowerPanel profile as a temporary fix.

Good luck.