Help: How do I determine my graphics card?

[RockstarWizkidd]

I wasn't expecting this to be such a problem, or I would have checked beforehand, but I just upgraded to windows 7 from vista. I need to change the drivers from the stock VGA adapter to my GPU. However I'm having difficulty, because I can't remember what my card is except that it's nVidia. I'm positive it's either an nForce or Quadro. However, I can't check my system because my it comes up as the windows 7 VGA adapter. It also appears that many people are having problems updating their driver from the default, so I have no way of knowing if my driver won't update or if I have the wrong driver. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts.

 

[derekimo]

Welcome to the forum,
Go to device manager, look under display adapter. right click, update driver.

You could also try the automatic search on this page,

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

 

[Everlong]

The best thing to do is simply go to Dell's website and search for your laptop model. I had a quick look and there's 3 options of graphic cards your laptop comes with: Nvidia Quadro 140M, Nvidia Quadro 135M or Intel Graphic Accelerator X3100.

As you're sure you have an Nvidia, it'll be one of the Quadros. If you want to know exactly you could download a program like Speccy and see if that tells you exactly, but you could also just go to Nvidia's website and download the drivers for Quadro netbook NVS series. The drivers for the 140M should also cover the 135M graphic card.

Or you could just update it through Windows, go to device manager and right click on the VGA adapter and go to properties then update.

 

[rvbfan]

GPU-Z Video card GPU Information Utility
try that link works great no install required.

 

[Everlong]

GPU-Z Video card GPU Information Utility
try that link works great no install required.

Good idea. Forgot about GPU-Z.

 

[Krispy1]

u can use speccy to check system info Speccy - System Information - Free Download

 

[Soron]

Similar problem

Hi, sorry for my English.

I have a similar problem: I ant to identify my graphic card for downloading and installing the correct drivers.

The solutions already posted didn't work.

If I go on Device Manager -> Display adapters it told me Standard VGA Graphics Adapter

I have the same results from any program that I tried to run to identify my hardware (like Speccy, GPU-Z Video card GPU Information Utility etc)

Unluckily, after many moving, I cant find any more the paper with all the data about the assembled custom build PC that i bought some years ago.

System specification:

Computer type
PC/Desktop

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom build

OS
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1

CPU
AMD Athlon II X3 455 - Rana 45nm Technology

Motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. M5A78L (AM3R2)

RAM
4.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 669MHz (9-9-9-24)

Hard Drive
465GB Western Digital WDC WD5000AAKX-001CA0 ATA Device (SATA)

Graphics Card(s)
???

 

[maxie]

Hi Welcome to Seven Forms ... It is likely that you are using the On-board Graphics .. Try the Link below ...


Motherboards - M5A78L LE - ASUS

 

[RoasterMen]

It is most likely your graphics drivers aren't present. According to my research, your motherboard's on-board GPU has ATi Radeon HD 3000.

 

[Faladu]

If you show VGA for your video in Windows' device manager, you have the default NO video card driver installed, which is a horrific performance hit.

Manufacturer's web site or GPU-Z/Speccy applications should show you the truth under the hood. [as already said]

If it's a desktop, you can unplug the power to the case and open it up and physically look, and CLEAN it out while in there, since it's likely been a while if ever. [dust]

Soron, in the future please start you own threads, this one was 4 years old.