Nvidia GeForce 8400M GT GPU Driver problem!!!

[bleung]

Hi guys,

I'm wondering if any of you could help me.
I'm using a Sony Vaio VGN-NR31Z/S laptop

Specs:
Intel core 2 duo @ 1.83Ghz
3Gb DDR2-SDRAM
Nvidia Geforce 8400M GT GPU
OS: Vista Home Premium SP2 32bit and Windows 7 Ultimate (RC build 7100) 32bit (Dual Boot)

I'm currently having problems with my graphic card driver and the aero effects in windows 7. It wont allow me to install the driver or use the aero effects and that is a bummer for me. I really wanted to try it out. I'll appreciate it if anybody could help me!!

Thx

 

[Dwarf]

Hi bleung and welcome to Windows 7 Forums

Try this driver NVIDIA DRIVERS 186.81 WHQL

 

[bleung]

thanks

thanks i'll give it a try,

if it doesn't work i'll pm u

 

[Zardoc]

Hi and welcome.

Your model seems to be from Europe. Sony site is picky about country.

Did you install drivers from the official site?

If you use drivers from the Nvidia site, they might not work. Some laptop drivers are specific to company specs..

 

[bleung]

thats wat i tried lolz

thats what i tried first from nvidia and then from vaio

but the driver from vaio seems outdated.......i'll inform u

 

[bleung]

Hi and welcome.

Your model seems to be from Europe. Sony site is picky about country.

Did you install drivers from the official site?

If you use drivers from the Nvidia site, they might not work. Some laptop drivers are specific to company specs..

Pffttt the one from nvidia doesn't work.....i'm gonna try the one from sony but i suspect the driver might be out of date.......

 

[Zardoc]

You can look for dirivers on this site.

HERE.

They specialise in tweaked laptop drivers.

You might find what you need.

 

[bleung]

You can look for dirivers on this site.

HERE.

They specialise in tweaked laptop drivers.

You might find what you need.

Thx, I'll have a look!

 

[FZ21Z]

Try the steps HERE too.

 

[dublea]

With Nvidia mobile cards, most companies don't create and update versions of the drivers. Also, when you attempt to install the one from Nvidia's website, it won't work due to the inf file. I've always gone to Laptopvideo2go to get the latest drivers for my Nvidia Mobile chipsets. Hope that gets you working.

 

[rapt0r]

I had this problem.

It's a sony Vaio like mine, so you need to google "vaio link" and download the drivers for Nvdia from there.

Apperently Sony will release drivers for Windows 7 around the time when windows 7 comes out (officially).



Edit: here you are: http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/downloads/preinstalled/index.aspx?l=en_GB&m=VGX-TP3Z_B

Download the nvidia driver from there, dont download the other stuff though since those downloads are for another model.

 

[rapt0r]

With Nvidia mobile cards, most companies don't create and update versions of the drivers. Also, when you attempt to install the one from Nvidia's website, it won't work due to the inf file. I've always gone to Laptopvideo2go to get the latest drivers for my Nvidia Mobile chipsets. Hope that gets you working.

I heard this site is good for Nvidia drivers as well...

What do you need to download exactly from this site. The Drivers on the home page or do we have to look for it?

I put in the details to download drivers for the 8400M GT, but the drivers had expired or something like that so I couldnt download it.

 

[FZ21Z]

What do you need to download exactly from this site. The Drivers on the home page or do we have to look for it?

I made a guide HERE.

 

[coffeethecat]

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

I ran the Upgrade Advisor for my Sony VGC-LT15E and it found a couple of compatibility issues for the W7 upgrade - as follows:

NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT
NVIDIA

Not compatible
The driver installed for this device is not compatible with Windows 7.

Sony Lucid Integrated Mpeg encoder
Sony Corporation

Not compatible
The driver installed for this device is not compatible with Windows 7.


What would I need to do make my PC ready for a W7 upgrade?

Thanx .... Dan

 

[rapt0r]

I ran the Upgrade Advisor for my Sony VGC-LT15E and it found a couple of compatibility issues for the W7 upgrade - as follows:

NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT
NVIDIA

Not compatible
The driver installed for this device is not compatible with Windows 7.

Sony Lucid Integrated Mpeg encoder
Sony Corporation

Not compatible
The driver installed for this device is not compatible with Windows 7.


What would I need to do make my PC ready for a W7 upgrade?

Thanx .... Dan

Click this link:

v187.62 Windows 7/Vista 32bit | Clevo - NVISION

click 'Download Drivers" (in red). Save it to your desktop, double click the icon. Then it extracts. Once it has extracted, go back to that site and click "INF modified". Download that to your desktop and then drag it into the folder. It will ask you if you want to replace/over-write existing file, say yes.

Then run the setup.exe inside the folder, let it install and you're all sorted.

 

[coffeethecat]

NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT - Incompatible with W7

Many thanx for your solution. The new driver installed flawlessly, except for messing up my Desktop but I can fix that. Ran the W7 compatibility wizard again and the same problem surfaced.

Got any other suggestions? Do you think that maybe the W7 wizard may be flawed and outputting erroneous data?

thanx .... d.

 

[rapt0r]

Many thanx for your solution. The new driver installed flawlessly, except for messing up my Desktop but I can fix that. Ran the W7 compatibility wizard again and the same problem surfaced.

Got any other suggestions? Do you think that maybe the W7 wizard may be flawed and outputting erroneous data?

thanx .... d.

In that case, uninstall that graphics driver, google "sony vaio support" and then enter the model number of your vaio (or your serial number at the bottom of your laptop) where it tells you, then click "downloads", Vista, and then look for the NVidia driver and download.

If that doesnt work then something's buggerd with your windows 7. Try reinstalling windows 7 again. I have the same graphics card and mine works fine aside from a few glitches.

I sent an angry email to vaio support a few days ago due to their ****ty support on the issue of Windows 7 drivers. They said that, because the sony model i have only comes installed with Vista Home premium, they will not be releasing any Windows 7 driver updates for it, which i find ridiculous. As IF we're going to be stuck with Vista forever! I haven't recieved a reply back yet.

 

[coffeethecat]

Sony Says No Way You Can Upgrade to W7!

I initiated a chat with Sony tonight and after much waiting they came back and said, "sorry, Sony has not upgraded their video drivers for your system. Please check back at a later date." "You cannot upgrade to W7 at this time." Talk about the brush off! Yikes - I'm off to find a Toshiba, Dell or HP box that'll do the job for me. F&&K Sony!

 

[Fresh330]

Try using driver 181.72 from laptops2go.com.

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-AR520E. Bought it about 2 years ago preinstalled with Vita Home Premium 32bit. I upgraded to Windows 7 and my graphics would not work correctly no matter what driver I tried. I decided to go old school. All the newer drivers would make my computer crash during full screen videos and when using Aero features.

So far so good. It's basically the oldest 180 driver on the side that WHQL certified. I'm not a gamer so I don't do anything too graphic intensive.

Hope this helps others.

 

[coffeethecat]

Sony Needs to Step Up to the Plate!

I appreciate your workaround but I just feel that Sony should "support" my PC. It's only 2 years old. For Sony to say "sorry - you cannot upgrade....." is simply BS and shows their lack of support and commitment to their customers. I am now officially an EX-Sony customer.