I have just gone through the experience of upgrading a Sony VAIO SB Series laptop (model VPCSB19GG) from Windows 7 Professional 64-bit to Windows 8 Pro 64-bit. There are a bunch of threads on how to do this on various websites, but this is how I got a clean install working for this model with all of the features of the laptop working (including the troublesome function keys for brightness and Bluetooth functionality).
The core page on the Sony Australia website for this model is: http://www.sony.com.au/support/product/vpcsb19gg
The order of the steps is important:
- Do a clean install of Windows 8 Pro (I left the restore partitions on the machine and installed from a USB key – you may need to adjust the BIOS which you can access by pressing F2 at boot)
- Once installed, Windows 8 pro will activate automatically
- Install the AMD Graphics driver (Graphics Driver (AMD) version 9.1.0.0 for Windows 8 Upgrade – EP0000278443.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit > Software Patches
- Install the Fingerprint Driver (FingerPrint (Authentic) – AUDFPD-80275394-0082.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit > OS Upgrade / Downgrade
- Install the ALPS Pointing Driver (Pointing Driver (Alps) – ALDOTH-80275593-0082.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit > OS Upgrade / Downgrade
- Install the Sony Shared Library (Sony Shared Library – SOASSL-00240000-0040.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Original Driver
- Restart the PC
- Install the SFEP Driver (SFEP Driver – SFEPDriver.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Original Driver
- Restart the PC
- Install the Sony Notebook Utilities (Notebook Utilities – SOAOTH-55800000-0042.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Original Driver
- The Sony Notebook Utilities will restart the PC once and then restart after completion
- Install the VAIO Power Management Updater (VAIO Power Management Updater – SOAVPM-80270503-0082.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit > OS Upgrade / Downgrade
- Restart the PC
- Install the VAIO Smart Network (VAIO Smart Network – SOASNW-00242468-0042.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Original Driver. To install this particular software you need to use Uniextract to extract the files and then run the setup file in Windows 7 compatibility mode as well as an Administrator. This makes the Bluetooth work properly
- Restart the PC
- Install the Sony Vaio Control Centre (VAIO Control Center version 6.0.5.10150 for Windows 8 Upgrade – EP0000278194.exe) which can be found in Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit > Software Patches
- Restart the PC
You should check that the Notebook Utilities are still working at this point. You can then proceed to install the rest of the applications and Windows updates.
Craig Smith 
Updated for Bluetooth functionality
Have followed your steps to letter the but still can not get the brightness keys working, Any ideas?
If you installed Smart Network, go back and repeat steps 6-11 again, making sure you do the reboots.
Hi! My Bluetooth doesn’t work. I don’t see the blueooth icon at task manager…
Make sure you flick the wireless switch off and then on again…
Everything works for me 100% – just made step by step, many thanks !!! Great job. (VPCSB1V9E)
I have a VPCSB 2L1E and want to install win 8. Are the steps the same as you wrote, or is there any change?
I haven’t installed since but that setup is still working for me.
Thanks a lot!!!
i’ve been fighting last week to make things work!!
Works 100%!!
VAIO VPCSB1S1E
Updated to Windows 8.1 Pro and everything still works
Hi, Today I did a reinstall on my sony sb laptop, but I have some issues. Every time I boot i got a error message about my battery. I installed everything you did expect the fingerprint driver. I downloaded the drivers here: http://www.sony.nl/support/nl/product/VPCSB2C5E/downloads/
the name of the download are not always the same, but i think that because I download it from the Europa website. Do you have any idea what I can do to solve this problem?
Important detail: I had also a issue with the last step. The installation program tells me, there is already a newer version on the PC.
And fn buttons (except F2, F3 and F4) doesn’t work. Also the stamina/speed switch doesn’t work.
Sorry to hear that. I am still on my original install (except with update to Windows 8.1) and everything including Fn buttons and stamina switch still work. My files were from the Australian support site.
Craig,
After updating to 8.1 sleep / hibernate seem to be broken as windows crashes after waking up do you experience the same thing?
Once updated to Windows 8.1 any time the laptop has been put to sleep or hibernate upon wake will cause a blue screen and the OS to crash, do you experience the same thing Craig?
Hi, thanks very much for this post.
Any idea how I can get the WWAN working? Windows 8.1 won’t even detect that the device exists. I’ve installed the WWAN driver, the WWAN connection software, but Windows 8.1 still doesn’t acknowledge the hardware.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Rayhan
My only thought is make sure WWAN is is turned on throughout the installation process to ensure Windows detects the hardware. Otherwise repeat the installation steps again.