HOW TO: Sony Vaio Fn Key support

[metalworm]

Here is 2 packets need for sony vaio laptop to use Fn key to adjust screen brightness, volume, someone say that it can provide Fn+F12 key (hibernate) but I never success cuz I do not have the function hibernate in my Linux box.

There are 2 packets (I do not remember where to download, so I upload here):
1/ sony_acpi-0.3: This packet is a patched sony_acpi packet, I can google and give you link but I am not sure this link is patched or not. So use my packet if you believe me .This packet is a core for sony vaio Fn key.
2/ fsfn-1.0: This packet provide feedback on the screen when you adjust volume or screen brightness.

How to do:

1/ sony_acpi:
a/ make
b/ cp sony_acpi.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/acpi
c/ depmod -a
d/ modprobe sony_acpi
e/ Check: ls /proc/acpi/sony/, you should see: brightness, brightness_default, fnkey.

2/ fsfn:
a/ First download: yum install xosd-devel xosd
b/ go to fsfn dir, do: configure, make, make install
c/ As normal user (the user who use this feedback), do:
$ fsfn -o&
$ disown %1
d/ go to Desktop -> Preferences -> More Preferences -> Sessions, make startup script: /usr/local/bin/fsfn -o
e/ Go to services, check on fsfn, or use CLI: chkconfig --add fsfn.

Restart laptop and have fun.

If you update a new kernel, do step 1 with sony_acpi again and restart laptop, do not need to do steep 2.

P/s: These packets I used for a long time ago, so I do not know is there any new Sony Vaio Fn key support outa here.

[metalworm]

FEDORA 8

There is an issue that you may get when you try to use 2 modules above: You did not see anything in the directory /proc/acpi/sony.

Fedora 8 goes with the new driver for sony laptop: sony-laptop module.

Wiki: http://www.linux.it/~malattia/wiki/i...hp/Sony-laptop

Its location: /sys/devices/platform/sony-laptop

You can use command (at root): $lsmod
To see the whether the module sony-laptop is loaded in your F8 or not.

With the module sony-laptop in your F8, you can now change the screen brightness using gnome-power-manager or just create the applet brightness (or whatever, I forgot the name) and change it manually.

The problem of sony-laptop that me and some people get is that we cannot make the fn key work with sony-laptop module (already did like in the wiki says, but still not work).

For that reason, If you want to use the 2 modules above, read continue:

If you see the module sony-laptop is loaded, when you compile the 2 module sony_acpi and fsfn abouve, there will be nothing in /proc/acpi/sony.

The solution I know (I did not test it) to make the sony_acpi and fsfn work again is you must turn off module sony-laptop before you compile 2 modules above, and there will be normal again.


P/s: If any one have better solution, please let me know by posting in here. Thanks.

[quanta2010]

hi Duy,
I had

modprobe -r sony_laptop

after build sony_acpi and fsfn again. But after that nothing in /proc/acpi/sony and Fn key make no effect or feedback.
Other solutions to enabled Fn key in Sony Vaio?