Solved Display Driver Failures

[Patonb]

Have you gone to the Nvidia site and used the newest version of both OS drivers?

 

[mdiemer]

I install them like this: First I uninstall the current driver, then install the new one from a thumb drive (previously downloaded directly from Nvidia.) Works for a while, but soon starts having the DDF's.

I suggest not installing drivers through Windows updater.

 

[Fiery]

I install them like this: First I uninstall the current driver, then install the new one from a thumb drive (previously downloaded directly from Nvidia.) Works for a while, but soon starts having the DDF's.

If I may butt in, if you are running an Nvidia Graphics Card, you have no need to unistall drivers (providing you are not changing cards), the new Nvidia drivers will for want of better words remove them and put on the latest drivers.

 

[mdiemer]

Thanks Fiery. I have also installed directly from the site, without first uninsatalling. Makes no difference. I'm afraid my computer is simply under the Display Driver Failure Curse. Maybe a new mobo would solve it, but then my OEM Vista would not install, I'd have to buy a new copy of Windows.

 

[Patonb]

No, you can call and MS 99% of the time allows it due to failed hardware.

 

[mdiemer]

disregard

 

[mdiemer]

With my luck, I could do all that and the problem will still be there. I'll use the VGA drivers. I'm not a gamer, so why bother with it anymore? I know I'll be the only person on earth using VGA drivers, but then hey, I'll be in a class by myself.

No, you can call and MS 99% of the time allows it due to failed hardware.

 

[mdiemer]

I'm going to mark this SOLVED. I am content to use generic VGA drivers. I do not believe there is any other solution to the problem. thanks to all who helped out.

 

[townsbg]

I think these scores are close to meaningless. My CPU is rated 5.4, RAM is 5.9, and hard drive is 5.4. But my index is 1. Why? Because I use the generic Vista drivers for my graphics card. So no Aero, or serious gaming. I do this because otherwise I have constant display driver failures, because Nvidia and MS can't figure out how to prevent them. I don't mind using the generic drivers a bit, they're extrememly stable, and I've tweaked the appearance enough that it doesn't look too funny. (Please don't respond re: the DDF problem, I already have another thread going on that).

I apologize that we couldn't bring this to resolution and I hope that you aren't offended by this but I am a very direct person. Microsoft is not responsible For driver functionality. I don't think that you realize what it would take for Microsoft to ensure that all the hardware capable of supporting Vista and to do so flawlessly. They have a big enough job just supplying patches. Hence the need to get most drivers from the manufacturer. The only drivers that are built into Windows provide basic functionality of standard devices such as mice, ethernet ports, keyboards, and audio/video cards. Better performance, specialized devices, and additional options of hardware is obtained by using the manufacturer's drivers which Microsoft is not responsible for.

Now your situation is probably caused by hardware as indicated by the existence of the problem on another version of Windows as well as Patonb's post about known hardware issues with your graphics card. Now we were willing to help you with further troubleshooting but you haven't been very cooperative and seem hell-bent on blaming Microsoft who aren't responsible for bad hardware nor driver support. Do you know how bloated and bogged down Windows would be to have drivers for all supporting hardware? What about hardware released after initial release of Windows? How could they account for that? Microsoft cannot be held to that standard and not even perfectly programmed drivers will work with failing hardware.

 

[mdiemer]

I'm not offended in the least. I'm sure I don't fully understand the issue. I can appreciate what you say about MS not being responsible for the driver problems.

As for failing hardware, my computer runs flawlessly with Linux, including graphics drivers from Nvidia. So I'm not understanding what part of my computer's hardware is failing.

 

[townsbg]

I'm not offended in the least. I'm sure I don't fully understand the issue. I can appreciate what you say about MS not being responsible for the driver problems.

As for failing hardware, my computer runs flawlessly with Linux, including graphics drivers from Nvidia. So I'm not understanding what part of my computer's hardware is failing.

Perhaps Linux doesn't use graphics to the same extent as Windows. I can't answer that. You should be able to replace your graphics card though.