Problems with Graphics After W7 reinstall

[brnn69]

My topic covers a couple areas and perhaps clues to help me resolve the issue.
A couple of weeks ago I had really stable W7 environment running on my Dell Vostro Laptop and everything was working as it should.
I inadvertently allowed the S7 DP1 to run in Windows Update and dumb dumb dumb I had not backed up my system. The result! Nothing worked the update kept crashing / blue screening, choice words were said to anyone within earshot.
In the end I bit the bullet and reinstalled W7 Ultimate 32Bit and managed to get operational with a few minor teething problems along the way which I have managed to resolve via Google search and the wonderful Windows Forums.

MY most annoying unresolved issue relates to my video and graphics (I think). My Laptop will no longer play DVD Movies/Videos. This feature was working fine B4 the W7 debacle and Win Media is now working fine again (not sure how i fixed it).
The problem I still have are with Nero and Real Player (RP).

Prior to the crash RP was my primary or main program for watching video, Nero 9 came bundled with a new external DVD Drive I installed several months ago, more recently I installed (prior to the crash) Nero 10 MediaSuite.

1) Nero error-
a. Show-Time error message “The application requires Direct Draw Acceleration which is not available in your system please enable it in DirectX Diagnostic Tool”. – I have tried this and in W7 this tool is not accessible and i have confirmed this via a number of online sources and windows forums. This does not help me of course.
b. MediaSuite 10 error message “Could Not read Disc”

2) Real Player – Throws up a ‘General Error Window each time I attempt to play a DVD.

I have trolled both Nero and RP forums with no success and currently I have cases logged with both support teams.

My gut feel about this is that it is Video Card/Driver related but where does one start to look to resolve this. If i was rich I would just go out and buy a new Laptop

 

[Ciara]

Hi brnn69

Have you tried reinstalling the Video Card/Driver from Dell ?

New Zealand Welcome to Dell Support

 

[brnn69]

No I had not given that any thought Ciara beyond my thinking that the Dell Card may not have been compatible with W7. The NB was purchased in early 2009 and came loaded with Vista Ultimate at the time I joined the W7 beta and loaded W7 I had not reviewed the V/Card. I will give that a try. Thanks for taking time to reply

 

[bobkn]

I see no Win7 drivers at Dell for your laptop, but there are Vista (32 bit ) ones. I suggest giving those a try. Notebook PC manfacturers sometimes use nonstandard device IDs for their graphics, so you may not be able to use drivers directly from nVidia for the initial installation.

If you're successful with those, you may be able to install the nVidia drivers over them:

NVIDIA DRIVERS 266.58 WHQL

It's been long enough that I don't recall the precise sequence, but I did something similar to that on my 2008 Compaq notebook with onboard nVidia 8200m graphics.

You should be fine.

 

[brnn69]

Thanks Bobkn appreciate you taking the time to reply and yes that would have been another avenue to try. I just followed the suggestion made by Ciara to try and reinstall the Dell Drivers that came installed on the laptop which I guess was the same as you were recommending as the Laptop came with Vista Installed. To cut to the chase reinstalling the NVIDIA Driver from the Dell Disc has worked a treat I gave myself a good beating for not thinking to do this earlier the beauty of people like you and Ciara taking time to help out the more technically challenged individuals is mush appreciated.

 

[brnn69]

It Worked

Hi brnn69

Have you tried reinstalling the Video Card/Driver from Dell ?

New Zealand Welcome to Dell Support

Thanks Ciara your prompt was correct my DVD's are now playing perfectly on all fronts - Cheers