FN (function key not working) after vista>xp downgrade

[OUPA]MrNutz

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Ola peeps..

hope anyone knows a solution/workaround: need to get the FN key going.

customer has got a toshiba satellite L40-139 notebook with vista home.

they bought xp.home as replacement - all the drivers are on and working nicely - except - i cannot enable wifi with the FN key - because FN key is dead.

articles/forum suggestions hint at updating the bios - but thats only a vista compatible bios update.

is there a way around on xp - without having to put a clean vista on just to update bios?

FN key totally functionless - thus cannot adjust brightness/tvout/volume
 
Last edited:
thx mate
only 1 lazy-delay for me...

the bios update is vista flashable only... - can't boot with cd/usb type bios...and xp is currently on after all the finetuning and bios updates...so i'll make an image quickly
 
nope....i did an acronis full backup of the xp volume , did a clean install of vista + the actual bios update...made sure the FN key works in vista....rebooted with acronis restore cd , restored image of xp - sigh...no working function key in xp..

WTH - how am i supposed to turn on wifi /adjust brightness
 
On my Dell laptop I disabled all the crap Dell software so as not to run at start up, that caused my FN key not to work. When I enabled one of the programs it worked fine again.

Maybe there's some similar Toshiba software that you need to run for the FN key to work in XP.
 
Problems is drivers, go have a look on the Laptop Manufacturers website.

I did the same for my own Laptop, although some drivers I downloaded directly from the OEM's website (IE. My video card and motherboard driver directly from nVidia website, wireless directly from Broadcom).

But Windows Update detected most of the devices anyway.
 
thx for the inputs - but i emailed support at toshiba EU/UK

the satellite-l40-139 model in xp currently does NOT support the function key.

fix is planned in a bios update 4-8 weeks from now.
 
I'm having the same problem with a Toshiba L300 notebook.Downgraded to xp from Vista
and the Fn features dont work..WTH... My sound also seemns to be a problem with scratchy and distorted noises when i play anything..Not sure if that is a driver issue cause it worked 100% in Vista..
 
I'm having the same problem with a Toshiba L300 notebook.Downgraded to xp from Vista

i did the exact same with the same lappie 2weeks ago and the F keys are working. there are numerous driver files on the toshiba site apart from the regular ones that you should install.


only prob so far is that it xp does not detect the person's LG mobile phone connected to usb. other usb devices work fine though, tested on desktop also running xp and it works fine.
 
Mine worked fine between XP and Vista...and now even Linux.

FN (function key not working) after vista>xp downgrade
Don't you mean UPGRADE?
 
Mine worked fine between XP and Vista...and now even Linux.


Don't you mean UPGRADE?

with the speed at which the laptop starts up etc in Vista...maybe it is an UPGRDE to change to XP...LOL..

Cant seem to get the fn keys to work tho..:o
 
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