change brightness of laptop on shortcut keys - can't do it no more

unwashed potato! · 18 Mar 2011 at 10:42

i used to be able t odo this but all of a sudden it's stopped working and i can't find out how to change it back. the volume keys still work it's just changing the brightness which doesn't.

using windows 7

SiriusB · 18 Mar 2011 at 10:47

Have you removed any vendor software recently - i.e. any of the preinstalled guff that came with the laptop?

vertica · 18 Mar 2011 at 10:53

Manufacturer/brand of laptop?

As said it coudl be you've (deliberately or otherwise) uninstalled/disabled the software that allows them to run. E.G. The Sony Vaio controls are provided by two processes called 'Sony Event Service' or something similar. Killing them or disabling their startup will stop all the non keyboard buttons working

unwashed potato! · 18 Mar 2011 at 10:55

it's a sony laptop. i have unsintalled some of their stuff so guess that must be it but not sure what i need to get it back. it's odd as the volume keys still work though.

SiriusB · 18 Mar 2011 at 11:46

Some keys are pretty standard - like volume - and will be supported by the OS/Keyboard drivers directly. Stuff like brightness and turning WiFi on and off tend to require specific software.

I couldn't tell you the specific name of the Sony software, but on most laptops i have used it is usually along the lines of Hotkey Manager or <brand>Hotkeys or whatever.

unwashed potato! · 18 Mar 2011 at 12:12

sony event service seems to have done the trick. many thanks

vertica · 18 Mar 2011 at 12:31

No problem, done the same to a Vaio myself in the past!