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[edit] Introduction

This how-to will help you setup Sony Programmable I/O Control Device Driver (aka: sonypi) on your Sony Vaio laptop. The purpose of the driver is give Gentoo access to your laptop's special functions, such as the multimedia keys. For more information, please visit the Sony Programmable I/O Control Device Driver website.

[edit] Kernel configuration x86

Head on over to /usr/src/linux and run menuconfig

 $ cd /usr/src/linux
 $ make menuconfig

Enable as a module.

 Device drivers -> Character devices:
  [M] Sony Vaio Programmable I/O Control Device support (EXPERIMENTAL)

And if you haven't already:

Device drivers -> Misc devices:
  <*> Sony Laptop Extras
  [*] Sonypi compatibility (NEW)

And then compile

  $ make && make modules_install

[edit] Kernel configuration 64-bit users only!

First, let menuconfig know we need the sonypi module. We'll head over to the drivers/char directory under the kernel source and edit the Kconfig file to remove the !64bit flag.

 $ nano /usr/src/linux/drivers/char/Kconfig

Find "config SONYPI" and erase the !64BIT tag from "depends on". It should now look like this:

 config SONYPI
 tristate "Sony Vaio Programmable I/O Control Device support (EXPERIMENTAL)"
 depends on EXPERIMENTAL && X86 && PCI && INPUT

Now head on over to /usr/src/linux and run menuconfig

 $ cd /usr/src/linux
 $ make menuconfig

Enable as a module.

 Device drivers -> Character devices
   [M] Sony Vaio Programmable I/O Control Device support (EXPERIMENTAL)

And if you haven't already:

 Device drivers -> Misc devices
   <*> Sony Laptop Extras
    [*] Sonypi compatibility (NEW)

Make sure it is in your .config

  $ grep CONFIG_SONYPI .config
  # CONFIG_SONYPI=m

And then compile

  $ make && make modules_install