T60 + Vista: Using the audio buttons

Message

amachanic · #1 Post by **amachanic** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:20 pm

Hi all,

I have a four-week old T60, which I purchased with WinXP installed, and reformatted and installed Vista. One thing that's really annoying me is that the audio buttons on the keyboard do not work properly. They do control the the audio, but Windows is not "aware" of this -- for instance, if I hit the "mute" button the audio mutes, but the volume control in the Windows taskbar does not update to show that I'm in mute mode. Anyone know how I can fix this? I'd like these buttons to work in a more integrated fashion, instead of having two different mute controls for the system...

Thanks!!

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:30 pm

Your buttons are working properly. Those buttons are hardware volume controls. The Windows ones are software volume controls. Those hardware volume controls work even when you are not booted into Windows!

amachanic · #3 Post by **amachanic** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:37 pm

Thanks for the response, but I don't agree that the buttons are working properly. The current behavior is not the same as it was when I had XP installed on the laptop (Windows did recognize the change when I'd use the buttons), and every other laptop I've had (two Dells and an HP) has operated the same way. In addition, I have a Lenovo 3000 with Vista installed, and when I push the mute button on it, Windows recognizes it. So I think this is clearly a case where the Thinkpad (or its driver) is not functioning properly.

#4 Post by **gator** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:38 pm

GomJabbar, the mute button behaviour on XP is different. On both by X31 and T60 win win xp pro, if I mute the system, the vol. icon on the taskbar also shows that it is muted. The volume up/down buttons (on the lapttop) behave as a "master" control switch - meaning that the maximum volume windows vol. control will be the volume I set using these buttons.

The OP posts that the usual mute behaviour is not observed on Vista.

#5 Post by **GomJabbar** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:56 pm

gator wrote:GomJabbar, the mute button behaviour on XP is different. On both by X31 and T60 win win xp pro, if I mute the system, the vol. icon on the taskbar also shows that it is muted.

OK, I back up a bit then. Sure enough, when the Mute button is pressed in XP, the Volume Control reflects that. However, the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons do not seem to show up in the Windows Volume Control in XP on my T42. This is what I was remembering.

amachanic · #6 Post by **amachanic** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:29 pm

Update:

I just searched the Lenovo web site and installed the Hotkey Driver for Vista, which made absolutely no discernible difference.

Anyone reading who is running Vista on a T60 and who does get Windows to recognize these buttons?

redron85 · #7 Post by **redron85** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:57 pm

Slighty off topic... But does anyone know if I can make the playback buttons (fn + arrowkey) work with winamp?

#8 Post by **gator** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:34 am

redron85 wrote:Slighty off topic... But does anyone know if I can make the playback buttons (fn + arrowkey) work with winamp?

Unfortunately, no. It works only with windows media player (both in XP and vista). There is no straightforward method except maybe a registry hack of some sort, which I DO NOT suggest.

arni · #9 Post by **arni** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:15 am

Hm that's strage. On my vista install (T60 Vista Ultimate) everything is working like under xp, so when i press the mute button i also get the mute symbol in the notification area.

How did you install all TP drivers and Thinkvantage? Especially i would check that you have following software installed:

1. Lenovo System Interface Driver
2. ThinkPad Audio Features XI for Vista
3. ThinkPad HotKey Features for Vista

Let SU 3.0 do the driver work, then normally everything should be working as it should.

Regarding the other question bout the audio players. I can only confirm that with the latest Hotkey driver it's working with mediaplayer and iTunes.

jeffyeh · #10 Post by **jeffyeh** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:24 am

My T60 came preinstalled with Vista and the volume buttons work fine. I would get the latest drivers, though it sounds like you did. Have you tried System Update 3.0? That may or may not help.

As for the play/pause/forward/back/stop Fn keys, they do work for iTunes in Vista, even if iTunes is minimized to the tray. Though I find that if I paused iTunes and open Windows Media Player, then the Fn controls both programs at the same time.

steveh · #11 Post by **steveh** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:17 am

It also works with the latest version of iTunes (just as in Windows Media Player).

Steve

gator wrote:
redron85 wrote:Slighty off topic... But does anyone know if I can make the playback buttons (fn + arrowkey) work with winamp?
Unfortunately, no. It works only with windows media player (both in XP and vista). snipped....

amachanic · #12 Post by **amachanic** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:34 am

arni wrote: How did you install all TP drivers and Thinkvantage? Especially i would check that you have following software installed:

1. Lenovo System Interface Driver
2. ThinkPad Audio Features XI for Vista
3. ThinkPad HotKey Features for Vista

Let SU 3.0 do the driver work, then normally everything should be working as it should.

The System Interface Driver did the trick! Thank you!!

BTW, I ran System Update a few different times, and it did NOT ever find that driver (or several other drivers I've since found and installed on my own from the Lenovo site). So I don't think it works too well (or maybe it just needed System Interface Driver installed to work properly

)

T60 + Vista: Using the audio buttons

T60 + Vista: Using the audio buttons

Who is online