Question : Problem: Loss of laptop <fn> key for volume -- a puzzlement

My WinXP-sp2 Acer Aspire 5550's hotkey for volume adjustment and mute were working fine until just recently.  This post highlights my attempts to fix it, but in the end my only recourse is to create a desktop shortcut to sndvol32.exe with a hotkey of ++V to bring up the Realtek volume control property box.  I could also use the Vol control next to the clock, but sometimes it's hidden by full-screen apps.

The hotkey works fine with all other keys (screen brightness, etc.)  I have upgraded all drivers to their latest versions using DriverMax.  I notice that still works for screen brightness in a booted Dos or Bart PE environment.  My v1.06 Phoenix Tech. BIOS has no settings for hotkeys.  Nor do the Sound tabs in Control Panel.

I have System Restored back a month to no avail.  I have created a 2nd OS partition and loaded the original WinXP C-drive from 2006 using PQ Drive Image 7.0  No + Sound functionality, and adjusting screen brightness works fine.  *** Now then, if this environment with its original drivers and registry doesn't hack it, then it must be hardware- or BIOS-related, right? ***

As a basis of comparison, my wife's Aspire 5580 is working fine in the dept.  But, her + Sound also does not function in the Dos or Bart PE environments.  Her keyboard driver is the Acer version using dkbfltr.sys  My keyboard driver is the standard Microsoft driver for 102-keyboards.

I exported her keyboard driver using DriverMax and imported it to my Aspire 5550.  Still no + Sound.  The fact that works with everything else, and that three (3) sound-related keys don't work does not point to sticky keys, IMHO.

I don't relish reflashing the BIOS...

Anyone have a bright idea?

===== SYSTEM SUMMARY ======

OS Name      Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version      5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer      Microsoft Corporation
System Name      DBUSHNELL
System Manufacturer      Acer
System Model      Aspire 5550
System Type      X86-based PC
Processor      x86 Family 6 Model 14 Stepping 8 GenuineIntel ~1662 Mhz
Processor      x86 Family 6 Model 14 Stepping 8 GenuineIntel ~1662 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date      Phoenix Technologies LTD V1.06, 6/19/2006
SMBIOS Version      2.4
Windows Directory      C:\WINDOWS
System Directory      C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device      \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale      United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer      Version = "5.1.2600.2765 (xpsp.050928-1517)"
User Name      DBUSHNELL\DBushnell
Time Zone      SE Asia Standard Time
Total Physical Memory      512.00 MB
Available Physical Memory      172.47 MB
Total Virtual Memory      2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory      1.96 GB
Page File Space      1.20 GB
Page File      C:\pagefile.sys
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Answer : Problem: Loss of laptop <fn> key for volume -- a puzzlement

The Fn + [someother_key] arrangement differs in function from maker to maker and sometimes from model to model. Many use hardware calls to implement whatever these keys are supposed to adjust, and in those cases the functionality is present even when in BIOS setup; others use drivers to create the "shortcuts". Your model isn't known to me. You could try safe mode or by booting with a live CD (e.g. Knoppix or Ubuntu) and see what, if any, shortcuts work. If all but sound work in a different environment, a hardware problem may be suspected; if none works they need drivers and you will have to use windows and further testing may be required.

Have you installed anything at all (software, hardware) before the problem occurred? Any sort of update that has taken place?
/RID