Problem installing new driver for Nvidia graphics card in Vaio VGN-Z21VN

[algemmell]

I am looking to upgrade the OS in my Vaio VGN-Z21VN laptop from Vista business to Windows 7 Professional. I have discovered that my present driver for my Nvidia Geforce 9300M GS video card will not work with Windows 7. I downleaded a 310.70 driver from the Nvidia web page, as it appears to meet my requirement, but hvae failed so far to get it to install. When I run the driver installation routine, I get a message to the effect that the video card cannot be located, so the installation is aborted. How can I overcome this problem?  Any help or advice would be most welcome.

[Blencogo]

Hi algemmell.

The only way to get up-to-date drivers to install on your Vaio is to modify the installer .INF file supplied with the driver.

This sounds a complicated process but is not too bad if you follow the instructions carefully.  If it doesn't work properly, you can always 'roll-back' the driver so you should not be worse off.

Go here and read the 'Quickstart Guide' at the bottom of the right-hand column: -

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/drivers

[algemmell]

Hi Blencogo,

Thanks for the help, but I am still having difficulties. I have downloaded the 310.70 file package for the driver from the website, but when I try to download the modded .inf file, I get an error message saying 'The requested address '/infs/310series/31070.nvvid.inf' was not found on this server'.

Can you help me with this problem? I simply used the links on the laptopvideo2go.com webpages (though I note that the versions of the 310.70 driver only appear to be for Windows XP or Windows 8 - I used the XP links. Should I have gone somewhere else for the Vista/Windows 7 drivers, and if so where?

Many thanks for the help to date, hopefully this is a minor problem probably caused by my own lack of knowledge and experience of this sort of manipulation of drivers etc.

[Blencogo]

You must use a Windows 7 Driver.  On this page

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/drivers?dev=⊂=&whql=1〈=0&orderby=version&dir=desc&os=&os[]=win7x32

select "Certified Only" and check the box for against "7/Vista 32-bit".  I assume you have installed the 32-bit version - if not select the box next to "7/Vista 64-bit".

310.70 is not available for Windows 7 so select one that has already had a number of downloads - 301.42 looks a reasonable choice.  Click on this driver.

On the next page choose "Click here to download driver and inf files"

Download the driver and inf file from the next page.

When you click on "Download the modified INF file" the inf should open on screen - scroll down towards the bottom and check that your GPU is included.  Look for the line: -

NVIDIA_DEV.06E5.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS"

Good Luck

[algemmell]

Thank you for this. When you say you assume I have installed the 32-bit version, are you talking about the driver or the Actual version of Windows 7? In fact I am still running Vista Business, as I had been assuming that I needed to get the video card driver up and running in a version which would work with Windows 7 before upgrading the OS to Windows 7. Have I been making an error in that respect?

Sorry to be such a nuisance.