Vista - Can't install new drivers for NVIDIA 8800GT

I was trying to get Aero to run on my Vista X64 so I followed the steps in the Windows help files. Wen I ran the performance tools and did the ''update my score'' I found out that my gaming graphic score was only 1.

I have an Intel Duo 6600 2.40GHz.
4GB Ram
MoBo ASUS SKT.775 INTL P35 3PCI/ *
Vista x64 Home premium
NVDIA 880GT 512MB... so I should get a better score and be able to run Aero.

I decided to check my drivers and see if they were new ones available thinking that might fix my problem. I'm running 6.14.11.6921 so I download the new drivers and try to install them... I'm told I'm running the 32 bit version so I can't uninstall and then it tries to install and I'm told again I'm running the 32 bit version.

Anybody knows what's going on? Is there something I can do? And why is my performance score so low with what is supposed to be a good card?

OK, it sounds like you have the default Windows Update drivers (I beleive that those correspond to the 169.14 drivers), and that is not a good thing - but even with those drivers you should be getting a much better score than 1.0.

nVidia just released new 177.35 drivers - did you get those? If you did, and it is not working, you can use Driver Sweeper to remove our current nVidia drivers and then try installing the latest 177.35 Vista x64 drivers.

Has your mobo got onboard graphics?

If it has is it turned off?

Get a screen dump of your vista score and post it.

Noticed the same thing when my new machine turned up but managed to sort it out easy enough so this might work for you.

Use the CD that came with the card / PC and install the drivers, they tend to have all sorts of other crap too so DL the latest ones from Nvidia too.
Once your PC has restarted with the CD based drivers check and see what comes up in the score.
If it's 4+ then it's sorted, so run the remove programme tools and get rid of the drivers and run the downloaded ones before you restart.

Worked for me so might help you out a bit

The one I downloaded and couldn't install because it gave me the Critical Error : ''You are running a 32 bit version of NVIDIA uninstaller on a 54 bit system'' is version 175.16. I will look for 177.35 and try that. It will take a while I'm on dial-up only thing available where I live so the download is like 5 hours.

If that doesn't work I will try Stillgarrs suggestion.

Where do I check to see if my Mobo has onboard graphics? I will also look for and download Driver Sweeper.

My score is:
Processor 5.2
Memory (RAM) 5.6
Graphics (Desktop performance for Windos Aero 1.9
Gaming Graphics 1.0
Primary Hard Disk 5.9



Thank you for the help. I will try all suggestion and be back. Might take a while due to long downloading time.

To find out about your onboard graphics and if it is enabled go to your BIOS settings.

The NVIDIA site doesn't offer me the 177.35 drivers when I tell it that I have the 8800GT, it only offers me the 175.16 drivers and those are the ones I downloaded and can't install because I get the critical error ''You are running a 32 bit version of NVIDIA uninstaller on a 64 bit system'' when I do have Windows Vista x64 Home Premium.

I think the 177.35 drivers are for GTX cards and I'm not sure if they will work for me. I am downloading them but wont try to install until I know for sure they are for my card also.

This is the description of my card on my invoice ASUS EN8800GT/G/HTDP/512MPCIE.

Also, this is a new computer only 2 months old and I installed the SP1 not long ago, could that be what messed up my drivers?

Just checked again and my device manager says I have NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT, which I think was added after on the invoice I mentioned before because I requested it to be added on. So I might still have the onboard card as well as the NVDIA I will check the Bios and let you know what I find.

download GPUZ ...this will tell you if your card & drivers are recognized by the OS..

In my Bios for Onboard Devices I have this:

High Definition Audio (enabled)
Front Panel Type (HD Audio)
Marvell IDE Controller (enabled)
Onboard PCIE GBE LAN (enabled)
LAN Option ROM (disabled)
Serial Port 1 Address (3F8/IRQ4)

By the way, should High Definition Audio be enabled or disabled with a Soundblaster X-Fi sound card?

I will go Google GPUZ, thank you.