Function Key not working, how to turn on wifi on Windows 7

[jorkki]

I think the next phase of the investigation would be to download the SoftPaq and unpack it with e.g. 7-zip and try to install the driver from the Device Manager directly using the .inf file and to see where it fails . I can see that there is the file HPRadioMgr64.exe that is the actual executable. Somewhere there must be the Windows version check which should be defeatable with some skill. Unfortunately I don't have Windows 7 to even begin to try. The button driver seems to be common to many models so it could even be that a suitable older version would work out of the box.

On mine (Pavilion 15)  I have the version 1.1.20.1 which seems to be available on Windows Update only at his point. Strangely in Device Manager there is a note 'This device needs further initialization' but I have not noticed any issues. The latest driver is a fresh 1.1.22.1 version in sp85302.exe which I have not installed yet.

[Ian50]

In truth, I tried the INF route for both Win10 and Win8.1 AC1368 drivers some time ago. As I commented to Paul T at the time, I could find no difference apart from the substitution of WINB for WIN7 and additional CAT files that UniExtract found no relevant information inside of. Very disappointed I was, actually, after all that tedious work.

I had also hoped an older version of the driver, even for the AC1365, may resolve the issue - nope.

All of that led me to conclude that the AC1368 adapter driver was not the problem - the issue lay elsewhere. So I looked at keyboard drivers, the HP RadioManager file, a slew of possibilities. Nothing but frustration.

By the way, when you try to install the HP RadioManager file into the G6 in Win7 Pro x64, an extremely annoying nastygram fronts up: "The System is Inadequate for Installing This". Apart from the bleeding obvious "this-won't-work", that's about as helpful as the old "an error has occurred".

Is it something as fundamental as different pin threshholds for power between the G5 and G6 chips ?

[Ian50]

The HPRadioManager.exe loads on boot in Win10 (I'd already concluded this was so) but is not needed for Win7, I read. I believe this because there is no Registry key for it in my G5, even though the Airplane F12 key works perfectly on that machine.

I think this basically means the issue is a G6 power control issue that Win10 can handle but Win7 is unaware of.

[CF4]

Hi

I was intrigued by this and read so many solutions, I now need Optrex arf arf.

So the Function keys are Hardware rather than Software, not OS related directly, hence working with Linux as well as some OS's from Microsoft.  But I question whether W7 somehow limits/blocks function keys.

Solutions offered...

@ Tracymperry

just press f10 as the notebook is booting up (so before the desktop is loaded after you restart) and then press f9 and then YES to restore default settings. 

Tried the F10, F9, F10 , problem solved within 1 minute. A great piece of information shared.

I have the same problem with my HP620, the SOLUTION I came up with is that most linux based OSs  have a turn on/off wireless feature, so I boot in USB stick, click the wireless tray icon, and turn the wireless on (which turns the wifi button indicator from orange to white on my keyboard) and reboot to windows. It's a shame that windows doesn't have this usefull feature.

But don't let me distract anyone.

[jorkki]

I wonder if mere Optrex would be enough if I suffered from this misery. I think a glass of good old Lagavulin would be just a start.

[Ian50]

> " ... But I question whether W7 somehow limits/blocks function keys"

Well, as I've said several times, the blankety-blank Airplane F12 key works perfectly in Win7 on my G5 machine, but not in Win7 on the G6 machine. So Win7 isn't the problem per se.

> " Tried the F10, F9, F10 "

Did that, no effect on the Airplane F12 key on the G6 machine.

> "But don't let me distract anyone"

Well, ok, if you insist

It is good, though, that this issue has attracted attention. Maybe eventually, an actual answer could possibly turn up.

BTW, I had to search for the point of "Optrex" as that brand name is non-existent in Aus.

Lagavulin I do know

[CF4]

Hi

Well since there is no BIOS per se, it's UEFI with a simulated / emulated BIOS it is possible that HP have applied crippleware in their custom implementation, but why?

I tried the On Screen Keyboard and couldn't generate an F11 let alone an F12.

Lagavulin I had to look up.

Since I have W7 but no need to install it, I may never be able to simulate the conditions and just spout platitudes.

[Ian50]

> " ... there is no BIOS per se, it's UEFI with a simulated / emulated BIOS ..."

I must confess I have no real idea what that means, ot its' significance. I would really appreciate it if you would explain it, though - learning is my schtick, as it were.

There is an entry in the BIOS setup called "HP Factory Keys" (not the Action Keys reference, that is for using the Fn keys with or without the fn key and is completely different to that which I'm listing). I cannot reach this "HP Factory Keys" entry, it is greyed out in my machine.

I am hoping someone can accurately describe what this entry does, or is, or may be. It may be of no significance at all, or it may contain the answer.

[CF4]

Hi

I aint that clever, but if I bumble along...

UEFI did away with the MBR and original BIOS (IBM's Basic In Out System) and as usual with a PC, backwards compatibility was considered and so the Hybrid Secure/Legacy option is there.

Some UEFI's dont have a Legacy option, Acer comes to mind for some of their product range, W10 does not need it, so why have it?.

Some Linux Distro's also will create an MBR area for older needs.

Linux supports BIOS+MBR, BIOS+GPT, UEFI+MBR and UEFI+GPT.

What specific 'BIOS' are we talking about, where can I download one?

There is an Advanced set of options apparently, that are secret to avoid idiots like me bricking their PC's and whingeing to HP about it.  I would look and change something vital.

[Ian50]

A. > "What specific 'BIOS' are we talking about, where can I download one?"

It's called Insyde v2.2. Where can you get it ? No idea, sorry. There is an Insyde website but I doubt we can just front up and copy one of their commercial products - at least, not without asking.

B.> "Linux supports BIOS+MBR, BIOS+GPT, UEFI+MBR and UEFI+GPT"

Yes, now we have reached one of my points of confusion. In simple terms, I understand the difference between the older "BIOS" and the new UEFI; and between MBR and GPT (except a GPT disk may harbour an MBR for legacy, I think).

But both my machines, according to MiniTool Partition analysis, have GPT disks for the C:\ partition and Windows boot. Yet I know they are NTFS-formatted (Win7 cannot run on other formats) and in order to apply the NTFS-format I had to partition using MBR. According to the Geek website:

"Windows can only boot from GPT on UEFI-based computers running 64-bit versions of Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista"

So both my Win7 Pro x64 disks must be:

UEFI + GPT + MBR+ NTFS

because they both boot and run Win7.

Yet in order to actually install Win7 from an ISO over a Win10 installation, I had to use DISKPART to CONVERT MBR from GPT (otherwise installation stops dead). There is also a reverse DISKPART command here to CONVERT GPT (ie. back to GPT from MBR).

So it still makes no sense. An imperfect Tower of Babel.

And probably doesn't affect the Airplane F12 key anyway. But it's interesting to me and I appreciate your comments.