Clean install now can't adjust volume/brightness

[vince24L]

I did a clean install of Windows 7 today on my 64-bit T400.

Everything works fine except for The screen is dimmer than normal, and the brightness buttons do nothing. Along with the volume buttons do nothing. Is there a driver I need. I looked through the list of drivers on lenovo's site and installed a few and none have fixed it.

Any help is appreciated.

[K0LO]

On other ThinkPad models you need to first install the System Interface Driver followed by the Hotkey Features Driver, in that order.

[vince24L]

I havent been able to find a driver for the system interface for my t400.

[K0LO]

Vince:

Click on the link in my previous post to download the System Interface Driver. It's the first item at the top of the page. If the brightness contol or the On-Screen Display are still non-funtional, download the Hotkey Features driver (from the link in my previous post) and reinstall it. The order of installation can sometimes matter.

[vince24L]

Thanks for the help K0LO.

UPDATE: Installed System interface THEN reinstalled hotkeys.
Volume controls now show up and work perfectly.
BUT the screen brightness shows up on the screen but the brightness doesnt actually change. Although the columns change on the screen when it should be getting darker and lighter.

[K0LO]

There was a post on here recently from another T400 user:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=81090

If it is a video driver issue, try Windows Update to see if a newer video driver is available.

What happens to the screen brightness if you change it from Windows? Go to Control Panel, Power Options and try adjusting the brightness.

[vince24L]

There's no slider in the Power Options for brightness when you have 64 bit Business 7. It says it in the troubleshooting that not all versions have a brightness slider.
Now that my volume slider works. The brightness columns doesnt even show up on the screen. Completely nothing now.

And Windows Update has nothing for me to update. Except for making a restore point.

[vince24L]

I think I mighttt know why.

When I try to download the GM45 display driver it says "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing this software"

which doesnt make sense to me... Is it the wrong display driver?

[K0LO]

Vince:

The comment about the brightness slider does not apply to laptops. Some desktop PCs do not have the hardware capability to control brightness (like the one that I'm typing this reply on now); that capability exists in the external LCD monitor. All laptops should include the capability to control display brightness.

Something is amiss. I would suspect the display driver. Perhaps you could go to the driver page for the T400 on Lenovo's web site and download the Vista display driver. Try this driver first. If it doesn't work, go back to Windows Update and let it install the Win 7 driver again.

[Kanmoloko]

When I try to download the GM45 display driver it says "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing this software"

I had the same problem when installed GM45 on T400 with switchable graphic. When I tried Switchable Graphics Driver from Lenovo it works. When switch to Intel Video card, I don't need to install GM45 more. I think the switchable driver contains both ATI and Intel drivers. Now brightness indicator works well too.
Hope it helps.