VGA adapter fix? incorrect steps?

Hello everybody, recently I upgraded to Windows 7 not using the upgrade function, so I do not have a windows.old so i can't do the easy fix.

First off, this is my computer(laptop)
VGN FZ180E (VAIO)

The standard vga adapter hardware ids:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0426&SUBSYS_9005104D&REV_A1
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0426&SUBSYS_9005104D
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0426&CC_030000
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0426&CC_0300

Here are the steps that i take:
1) i go to this site Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers
2) Product series 8M
3)DL the software
4) get the INF file from this thread Windows not recognizing NVidia GeForce 8400M GT
5) c+p the inf file into the dled driver
6)update driversoftware->etc..->browse
7)select the 8800M GS Version 8.17.11.9592
8)from there it attempts to install
When it tries to install, an error comes up saying: NVIDIA control panel could not be installed which may affect driver functionality. The most recent driver will be restored.
from there, i have to restart my computer, and the VGA adapter is still in place.

So am i doing something wrong? is it because of this control panel thing?
Please help!
thanks in advance!

these are the drivers for your laptop NVIDIA DRIVERS 195.62 WHQL

As "pebbly" posted, the latest generic drivers for the 8400M are 195.62.

Download and extract them. (You do that by running the install package, but stopping the actual installation. You must already have the nVidia folder on c:\, if you've run it already.)

Notice that there is no nv_disp.inf in the folder, except for any that you've placed there. That files was used for older version of the installer, but that has changed.

I'm not expert at device IDs, but it appears that Sony has modified the ID of the graphics in your notebook. (That's not unusual for notebook manufacturers.)

I can't tell you how to modify the .inf files in the installer to detect your graphics adapter.

An alternate suggestion would be to download and install the latest Vista drivers:

Sony eSupport - VGN-FZ180E - Software Updates & Drivers

They seem to be the 167.60 version, if I'm reading it right. You may have to run the installer in Vista compatibility mode, but I don't think that it would be necessary.

I believe that once you've done that, you can update to the Win7 drivers. The latest ones for the 8400M on Windows Update are 186.42, but the 195.62 (above) are the latest WHQL version.

Let us know if it works.

It seems bobkn's method worked for me! I now have the driver identified by my computer!
Thanks everybody that helped out!