3 Drivers for 1 graphics card??

[MiserySyndrome]

Today I wanted to update my laptop with the newest drivers.
I have a Dell Vostro 3700.
So I went to the website of Dell, to the drivers download page, and entered my service tag of my device.
When I scrolled down to the "Video" section. I noticed something, rather confusing..
There's seems to be 3 drivers + a driver for my intel chipset..
Those 3 drivers all refer to my NVIDIA graphics card..
But..
They each have a different name at the end..
I found these:

Geforce 330M N11P-GE1
Geforce GT330M-Discrete
Geforce GT330M-Switchable

The only thing i know is that I have a GT 330M..
But apperently, if i get it right, there are 3 version of this same graphics card model?
When I looked in dxdiag, It also just said "NVIDIA Geforce GT 330M"
and nothing else like "Discrete".
Should I not update my drivers at all?
Or what should I do?

Thanks.

 

[Sardonicus]

I think most will try and download the driver from the Nvidia site first.

 

[Golden]

Hi,

From what I can see,
- the DISCRETE is for MacBooks
(Google)

- the Swichable is for Windows 7 x64 (click the compatibility button in the link below)
Drivers and Downloads

So Im guessing its the first one since you use 32 bit? I couldn't find a DISCRETE one on the DELL site - can you post a link for that so we can double check before you do anything?

Regards,
Golden

 

[MiserySyndrome]

I think most will try and download the driver from the Nvidia site first.

Doesnt work..
I think because my chipset the graphic card is put on is from intel. And not NVIDIA's?
Don't know.. But he only updates my HD Graphics accelerator..

 

[MiserySyndrome]

Hi,

From what I can see,
- the DISCRETE is for MacBooks
(Google)

- the Swichable is for Windows 7 x64 (click the compatibility button in the link below)
Drivers and Downloads

So Im guessing its the first one since you use 32 bit? I couldn't find a DISCRETE one on the DELL site - can you post a link for that so we can double check before you do anything?

Regards,
Golden

Link
Underneath "Video" you will have to find the 5 drivers..
1 for my HD Graphics Accelerator, and then the 3 Geforce ones with an Nvidia N11M-GE1 driver which says "important" and i dont even know what it's supposed to be?..

 

[thefabe]

Would you mind posting an expanded view of your display adapter in device manager?
Thanks. Fabe

 

[stormy13]

From what I can see,
- the DISCRETE is for MacBooks

That would be OK if Dell actually sold Macbooks. The discrete driver is for the few models of that laptop they sell that don't have an Intel CPU in them that do not have an integrated GPU in them (integrated into the CPU and not on the motherboard).

The switchable is for the models that have both the integrated Intel graphics and an added video card (can be either AMD or Nvidia), and contains drivers for both. The laptop uses the Intel when running on the battery or for low power use apps, etc; and uses the Nvidia card for gaming, etc.

In your case Misery you want the switchable one. That is also why the one from Nvidia failed to install, and even if it did it would break the switching capability.

 

[MiserySyndrome]

From what I can see,
- the DISCRETE is for MacBooks

That would be OK if Dell actually sold Macbooks. The discrete driver is for the few models of that laptop they sell that don't have an Intel CPU in them that do not have an integrated GPU in them (integrated into the CPU and not on the motherboard).

The switchable is for the models that have both the integrated Intel graphics and an added video card (can be either AMD or Nvidia), and contains drivers for both. The laptop uses the Intel when running on the battery or for low power use apps, etc; and uses the Nvidia card for gaming, etc.

In your case Misery you want the switchable one. That is also why the one from Nvidia failed to install, and even if it did it would break the switching capability.

Ok.
And how do I check if the driver provided on the website isnt the latest one that I have already?

 

[MiserySyndrome]

Here is the view of my Video Adapters in Device Manager

 

[thefabe]

As stormy13 explained why the different grahics situtations, from looking at your device manager I would say your good to go.
Fabe

 

[MiserySyndrome]

Ok
Thank you all for the quick replies and the help
How can I mark the thread as solved?

PS: So I can update the "Intel Driver - Graphics Media Accelerator" without losing the switching feature? and what is the Nvidia N11M-GE1?

 

[stormy13]

This one,

Drivers and Downloads

is for the models that only have the Geforce 310M,

NVIDIA GeForce 310M - Notebookcheck.net Tech

this one,

Drivers and Downloads

is for those that only have the 330M in them. Unless Dell has gone and removed the DevID for one or the other, for these tow either driver should work with both cards.

In your case again you cannot use or update the Intel driver for the same reason that you cannot use either of the drivers above; the driver for your model laptop has both the Intel and Nvidia driver in one package and updating just the Intel driver will break the switching capability.

 

[MiserySyndrome]

So I will have to update using this one and not with that one? or both?

 

[stormy13]

The switchable one only.