I have bought this nice laptop about two years ago. And when Windows 7 came to a finalized state, I wished to replace my anemia Vista by this new system from Redmond. The installation ran like a charm; and everything seemed to work properly; till i try the function keys. I realized that absolutly no function keys were working. And for a laptop, it’s deadly to not be able to adjust sound level and, even worse, the screen brightness. So it became a ‘sticky’ laptop for a while on my desktop, untill i found a way to install all proper drivers and all necessary Samsung software to return my laptop to a travel usage. Samsung dedicated software I looked for any software compatible Windows 7 on the Samsung support web site. Of course, there are not! My model is too old (at least for marketing) to get some upgrade. So, I turned to other new models supporting Windows 7, and selected the Q320 (the higher Qxxx model available to this date). I selected some Samsung software that I need (I zapped others as they have actually minor interest to me).

• Easy Battery Manager 4.0.0.3
• Easy Display Manager 3.0.3.5
• Easy Network Manager 4.0.2.5

As these new package are dedicated to Windows 7, you don’t have to use the famous “Vista SP2 compatibility on setup.exe” tip to make it run properlly. So, once installed, and one reboot later; I was pleased to see the sound, network functions keys perfectly working. All but brightness :(. What’s the heck with this function? Damn, It was too easy. Then, I tried to check the Intel VGA driver, and install the latest release…for nothing :(. I’ve tried several minors release without success. I spent many times on searching thru blogs and documentations untill i read this:

The ACPI layer

Windows supports two ways to integrate brightness control: Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) miniport device driver interfaces (DDIs) and Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) firmware control methods. ACPI control methods are the preferred implementation solution for new platforms.

The ACPI layer is a new to Windows 7. Hum…maybe the new Intel VGA driver use the ACPI protocol, and no more the WDDM? I have to look backward for a previous branch release of the video driver.

The Intel VGA Driver masked avanger!

So, the last issue is to find the right driver compatible with my motherboard AND the samsung EDM. Unfortunatly, the 8.15 branch release of VGA driver doesn’t work support WDDM anymore on this motherboard? I gave a try to the the v7.14 branch. I’ve downloaded and installed the higher version of the 7.14 branch.

• Intel VGA v7.14.10.1409

One reboot later (see below for details), Bingo !!!. It finally works, at the end :).

NOTE: I had difficulties to remove the v8.15 video driver release. To do so, firstly, I’ve uninstalled the driver first, but not rebooted yet! Secondly, I’ve installed the v7.14 release before rebooting. And that way, I made it!

The new Windows 7 menu bar is good, but not enough to launch my favorites games apps. So, i’ve found — within forum comments — a very small (380KB), but nice application: the SE-TrayMenu.

This software add a small icon in the tray menu. You just have to roll over the icon and a menu pop-up, allowing you to click on the desired application to run. Everything is customizable, the layout, the theme, and of course the shortcuts.

Download k60 (41) and give it a try.

So i searched for an alternative to this excellent software. I finally stumble upon Lingoes. And, it rocks! 95% of Babylon functionalities, contextual translation, etc…and free!

You have to be fast, and greedy on your movement to max score on the game. For me, finding a solution is already hard enough :-)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-ECnXFNemo[/youtube]

Windows 7 is upcoming fast. It’s now time to switch to this new major release as it make Vista roughly bite the dust. So, do not lose time on searching an alternate solution. Here is the final tip to install the keyboard. I used the friendly Microsoft Keyboard Layout Editor tool, to redefine keys that don’t match a standard PC keyboard. Once remapped, I just compiled the layout to get a direct executable (compatible with x86 and x64 platform!). So, you just have to download the Windows 7 support for Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad (FR) (2437) and install it. You’ll have a second keyboard defined for the French language (sorry i don’t have the US layout for now).

Reminder:

• To switch between keyboards, press ‘Control’-‘Shift’.
• To switch between languages, press ‘Alt’-‘Shift’.

Tip:

If you are using only this Apple keyboard on your system. There is another tip to set this keyboard as default. To do that, just right-click on the language icon (in the bottom bar) and select “parameters…”. Once opened; browse for “Français / Clavier” sub-tree, and set the “Français — Clavier Apple avec Pavé Numérique” to the first position. Voilà!

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Password:

Exemple:

• Targeted computer name SweetHome
• User name on this host Daddy

So, the complete login name to type in is SweetHome\Daddy

In action:

Logmein under Windows Vista
Logmein under Windows Seven

We are going to change the network interfaces order. To make this change, we directly start from Windows itself.
Firstly, you just have to open the ‘Network and Sharing center’ tray icon (left click).

Network & Sharing center

2. Network & Sharing center

Click on the Manage network connection link. It’s open a new network connection window.

Network & Sharing center — Window
Network Connections

3. The ‘Alt’ magic key

Click your ‘Alt’ key.

’Alt’ Menu appears
Advanced Parameters

4. Reordering interfaces

You can now, reorder the interfaces as you want. It’s preferable to set ethernet as first, wifi second, and all your virtual networks interfaces then.

Interfaces