Windows 8 on Acer 7730, no IR

I installed Windows 8 Pro on my Acer Aspire 7730G laptop. Everything's working fine, except for the onboard infrared sensor. It's a Winbond CIR chip with a device ID of ACPI\WEC1020. Any driver I try gives me a Code 31 error in Device Manager.

Windows Update offers me a Winbond driver which seems to be a Vista driver from 2007. Acer have a driver from 2009 for Windows 7 and that doesn't work either, same issue. In that case it's a Nuvoton driver but it's the same company.

Any ideas? Or will I just have to accept that this won't work on Windows 8?

Overheal

You can always contact Acer... but of course, my experience with any OEM asking them to write a driver for an old laptop has always been fruitful.

Overheal

Overheal wrote: »

You can always contact Acer... but of course, my experience with any OEM asking them to write a driver for an old laptop has always been fruitful.

Yeah, since the laptop is 3 and a half years old and originally came with Vista, I couldn't see them doing it for me. Might just have to put Windows 7 back on as I do use the IR on this.

BostonB

Do you use the infrared sensor? I would have though thats an obsolete?

BostonB

BostonB wrote: »

Do you use the infrared sensor? I would have though thats an obsolete?

I do actually. I don't have a Blu-ray player so when I'm watching BDs I connect the laptop to my TV via HDMI and use a Windows Media Center remote to control it.

BostonB

Try a driver from another model laptop that has the same feature. But it might be something there just isn't a driver for. Have you tried raising the install admin/permissions then trying it. I have good luck with Vista Drivers under Windows 8. But tried for a IR device. You could always buy another remote that is supported by W8.

BostonB

BostonB wrote: »

Try a driver from another model laptop that has the same feature. But it might be something there just isn't a driver for. Have you tried raising the install admin/permissions then trying it. I have good luck with Vista Drivers under Windows 8. But tried for a IR device. You could always buy another remote that is supported by W8.

The drivers I was using were .inf files via Device Manager so I figured that the correct permissions should already be applied.

I just found two drivers for Toshiba laptops. One is a Windows 7 driver, same Code 31 error. The other is a Windows 8 driver from July 2012, and it doesn't have my device ID in the INF. In fact, the changelog states:

* All drivers are WHQL certified for Windows 8.
* Remove WPC8769L (uRider) and WPCE775C/F (uRider07A) MC CIR Port 32-/64-bit
Driver installation (BIOS PnP ID: WEC1020, WEC1021).

If I force install it, it still give a Code 31. So if they removed that device from the Windows 8 driver, it must be that it just doesn't work.

Overheal

Not the thriftiest option but you could always get a new remote, something USB based.

Overheal

OR:

http://gizmodo.com/5966724/how-to-control-your-computer-with-your-phone

Article has been staring me down all weekend, and to think I almost saw no use for it!

I actually used Logmein when my windows 8 updates killed my USB controller. If you are using an xbox too, the Smartglass app gives you brilliant remote control of it.

That's a good idea actually. Thanks.