Windows 7: m9700 - WIN 7 - SLI 7900 GS - Issues

I have an Alienware m9700 with SLI 7900 GS.

After installing Windows 7 32bit (Retail) I am able to install every driver with no issues except the video drivers. Sound works, web-cam works...

The strange thing is when I install the (vista 32bit) drivers they install fine it restarts and I get a black screen. I have found that plugging in a monitor works.

So the cards work the driver loads, it boots fine, it just refuses to display on the laptop screen. I reboot in safe-mode and the screen shows up and I can uninstall the driver and restart just fine. But the process repeats itself upon reinstalling a driver.



Windows update has a go 7900 GS driver that fails when it tries to install. I am curious if this is a Hardware fault. Or if its a laptop SLI issue. Is there anyway to disable the SLI via BIOS or does anyone have any Ideas. I have found forms where people say they have gotten windows 7 to run fine on their m9700. But I don't know if they have SLI in theirs.

Thanks.

If your running Windows 7 32BIT - it says in your specs your running 7 64 bit ultimate - anyhow here's a link to the alien site with the sli driver for vista 32 bit whql or a beta driver - to get it to install correctly you may need to install it in compatibility mode with vista because of the OS mismatch :
To install a driver OR program in compatibility mode - right click the setup.exe file - click properties - click compatibility - check run in compatibility with vista/xp etc - check run as administrator - leave the rest blank. Start setup.exe and install.
Link : Alienware : The Ultimate Gaming Machineâ„¢

Hope you havent already tried these drivers - good luck!

Yeah, I have Windows 7 on 4 diffrent computers. This laptop is my wife's.

I tried two drivers using compatibility mode. One was the latest Vista 32 driver for the 7900 GS version 179 I think and the other was the one from the Alienware site. Both drivers blue screened when installed via compatibility mode.

I installed the 179.76 driver regularly and the computer booted to an external display flawlessly. SLI enabled and AERO Glass... However it did not see my laptop display listed anywhere. Device manager, NVIDIA Panel...

I closed and reopened my laptop and the display switched from the external to the laptop, for a second, then popped up something about driver unstable and the screen flickered on and off and then blue screened. So it would appear I am very close, but I need the correct driver.

Nvidias site doesnt list a windows 7 driver for the Go 7xxx cards. But I knowticed that the nvidia panel stated it was running DirectX10 (being a vista driver). I was wondering about a hacked windows 7 driver.

Their is a third party site for laptops most people will tell you to go to the nvidia site or the manufacturers site for the drivers I agree. But when this has failed before sites drivers have succeeded it's Worth a shot IMO Fabe Download NVIDIA drivers | drivers for mobile cards and laptops | laptopvideo2go.com do you know where to find your video card ID? Go to My computer right click the manage> device mngr> display adapter>properties>details> drop down menu click hardware Id.

Yeah, I had used that years ago.

I installed a modified 186.81 and forced it to install.
It did the same thing at first where it still only showed up on the external display. But It showed DirectX 11 this time and when I closed and opened the screen it didn't crash. I don't know if it will remember the screen is there or if I will need to close and reopen the screen every time. I might try a newer driver and see if it fixes it.

So far so good. At least it runs fine with tweaking. Does anyone know a good driver version to try. Or whether nvidia will develop windows 7 drivers for the GO7xxx series cards. They aren't that old.

i have the same issue and when i close and open it, it doesn't freeze, the screen works but my keyboard and touch pad do not. i'm using 64bit

[QUOTE=mrkuenning;321613]Yeah, I had used that years ago.

I installed a modified 186.81 and forced it to install.

what method did you use to modify it?

I am using 191.07
v191.07 Windows 7/Vista 32bit | NVIDIA - NVISION

I used the modified INI file to install. I still have to close and open the list after the initial boot. Everything works fine after that unless it goes to sleep, then the keyboard and mouse die.

Don't use that driver version. Apparently people are having a lot of problems with this driver.

where did you get sound drivers for the m9700?