Thanks again for your help. I have investigated and printed the recovery
instructions - I now have to make the recovery DVDs before I can start the
recovery process. I plan to do this tomorow (Saturday).
I also checked out c:\drivers. the SigmaTel HD Audio driver is there. I
tried to re-install it but it stopped, telling me that certain components
were unavilable????
I can download all the drivers and utilities from the Viao website dedicated
to my particular model of Vaio, which I will also do tomorrow. I have to do
some file housekeeping (e.g. dumping all my data files onto my portable 250GB
HDD) and dumping BBC TV progs I have from 3 of my DVDs to the portable HDD,
then format the 3 DVDs to use as my recovery DVDs. I will then reinstall the
whole lot, get the updates off the web and hopefully all will be well. I will
post the results here - probably on Sunday morning. I was told this evening
that SONY just sent me a free Blue-Ray DVD of "Casino Royale", so I hope that
this one month old notebook is OK for when I get back to England so I can
watch the movie on Blue-Ray!
"dean-dean" wrote:
> This might help get you to the Recovery Manager, also:
>
> http://kb.sony-europe.com/KB/Solutio...99/V00185.html
>
>
> "dean-dean" <dean-dean@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:unGTG7V1HHA.1344@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> > Using your VAIO Recovery Utility (or some such similar name), can you
> > choose
> > to re-install the sound driver (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)?
> > Also
> > check C:\Drivers or C:\Utilities. It should give you the option to
> > selectively choose a program or driver that you want to re-install. (This
> > should not to be confused with the option to restore your computer to it's
> > original factory condition, or anything extreme like that). I have a Sony
> > laptop, and I have that option to choose a driver to re-install. I also
> > have the option to download the driver for my model from the Sony Support
> > website, but I don't see that option available for your model. Yours must
> > be too new 
> >
> > I only see this available:
> > http://support.vaio.sony.co.uk/downl...=VGN-FZ&m=2667
> > Click on Preinstalled Drivers and Utilities for more info, on that page.
> >
> >
> > "AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:5C166D9A-6524-4A9D-8283-9A2C79EAD9EE@microsoft.com...
> >> Did all that and still not working (pity!). i really do appreciate your
> >> help.
> >>
> >> I work in Nigeria (Lagos) and live in England (where I bought the Viao).
> >> the
> >> complete name is VGN-FZ11Z - It's the new one that is designed for
> >> entertainment!!...some entertainment...fixing the sound afer a few weeks
> >> of
> >> owning it! the URL for the Viao is:
> >> http://vaio.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProd...y=VN+FZ+Series
> >>
> >> The driver is: SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC (it says it is
> >> working
> >> properly).
> >>
> >>
> >> "dean-dean" wrote:
> >>
> >>> Well, when you reported that Volume Mixer wasn't showing a separate
> >>> column
> >>> for the game, that, to me, indicates a sound driver problem, or that it
> >>> lost
> >>> it's configuration. Try right-clicking the Volume icon, and choose
> >>> Playback
> >>> Devices. Double-click the Device in the window that pops up. On the
> >>> Enhancements tab, put a check next to "Disable all sound effects", then
> >>> click Apply. On the Advanced tab, click on Restore Defaults, and make
> >>> sure
> >>> both check-boxes, under Exclusive Mode, do have a check mark. (Apply,
> >>> OK).
> >>>
> >>> What country do you live in? Is VGN-FZ11Z the complete name for your
> >>> Vaio
> >>> model? In Device Manager, under "Sound, video and game controllers",
> >>> what
> >>> is the name of your sound device?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> "AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >>> news:964E9911-5C97-4533-82A4-920B086027E2@microsoft.com...
> >>> > Well, turning off games, hard switch off, switch on, turn on games
> >>> > again
> >>> > didn't work. I am stuck!
> >>> >
> >>> > "AWAC" wrote:
> >>> >
> >>> >> Many thanks for your reply. However, the volume for the game (or
> >>> >> indeed
> >>> >> any
> >>> >> of the pre-loaded games) is not listed separately when I have any of
> >>> >> them
> >>> >> running. What is shown in the Volume Mixer is Device (speaker and
> >>> >> headphones)
> >>> >> plus another one for Windows Applications. They are both set to 100%
> >>> >> volume
> >>> >> and neither is muted.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> i am now trying the following - turn off games, switch off laptop
> >>> >> (coMplete
> >>> >> shutdown and not just restart). When it boots up again, i will turn
> >>> >> on
> >>> >> the
> >>> >> games again and hope that they instal correctly (i.e. complete with
> >>> >> sound!).
> >>> >> I will post he result (fingers crossed!).
> >>> >>
> >>> >> "dean-dean" wrote:
> >>> >>
> >>> >> > You might check this. When playing Mahjong, for example,
> >>> >> > right-click
> >>> >> > the
> >>> >> > Volume icon in the notification area, and choose Open Volume Mixer.
> >>> >> > The
> >>> >> > game will be listed with its own volume control. Is it muted, or
> >>> >> > turned all
> >>> >> > the way down?
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > "AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >>> >> > news:4B975F9C-180E-4AC9-B8F0-B4258FC2D07C@microsoft.com...
> >>> >> > > The sound on all the Vista (Home Premium) pre-loaded games
> >>> >> > > worked.
> >>> >> > > Now
> >>> >> > > although the games work, i cannot get the sound to work. I have
> >>> >> > > one
> >>> >> > > other
> >>> >> > > game loaded into the standard Vista games folder - Rush For
> >>> >> > > Berlin -
> >>> >> > > and
> >>> >> > > that
> >>> >> > > works perfectly. I have tried disabling the sound to each
> >>> >> > > pre-loaded
> >>> >> > > game,
> >>> >> > > saving and restarting the computer (Sony Viao VGN-FZ11Z which is
> >>> >> > > 3
> >>> >> > > weeks
> >>> >> > > old!) to no avail.
> >>> >> > >
> >>> >> > > All other sounds work pefectly (e.g. music at start up, bleeps
> >>> >> > > and
> >>> >> > > stuff,
> >>> >> > > etc) and I have no problems with sound via DVDs.
> >>> >> > >
> >>> >> > > Very puzzling - but how can I get the sounds back? Can anyone
> >>> >> > > help
> >>> >> > > please.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >
> >>>
> >
>
>