L702x and 32-bit Operating System

Hi all,

I recently just bought a 17-inch non-3D L702x and it runs great with Win7 64-bit. I like having the option, though, of still being able to boot into a 32-bit operating system, so I installed Vista Ultimate 32-bit on a separate partition. I also have Ubuntu Linux running on another partition, and I use Acronis OS Selector to boot efficiently between Win7, Vista and Linux, and it works quite well. I even set aside a separate partition for future expansion to Windows 8.

But of course, there are always a few driver issues. Dell only officially supports Win7 64-bit drivers for this laptop, but by scouring the internet, I found working 32-bit Vista drivers for everything EXCEPT:

1. The Dell free fall sensor (I believe this is called the AcceleromaterP11). Dell's support site has 32-bit drivers for Accelerometers installed on other laptop models, but none of those drivers work on the L702x. It's not a big deal, as the free fall sensor is not a vital device to enable, but if anybody knows where I could find a 32-bit driver that would work with the L702x, I'd appreciate it.

2. The bigger issue is the Nvidia GT555m graphics card. As I understand it, this laptop uses hybrid graphics, meaning that it primarily uses an Intel HD on-board graphics chip for most functions, but will switch to the Nvidia GT555m when under heavy load (i.e., bluray playback or gaming that requires hardware acceleration.)

I have a 32-bit driver installed for the Intel HD graphics and it appears to be working perfectly and displays my desktop resolution at a vibrant 1920 x 1080. But the GT555m is a different story. Out of the box, Vista just sees this card as the Standard VGA Adaptor, and as such, it can't do any of the fun stuff that the GT555m can, such as bluray display. As previously mentioned, Dell only provides a 64-bit driver for the GT555m, but I visited NVIDIA & Laptop News | Latest NVIDIA drivers and related news | laptopvideo2go.com and found a modified .INF file that will load Nvidia's 32-bit driver (268.30 version) for the card. It now shows up under device manager as the GT555m, but with a yellow exclamation point, saying that there is a problem with the driver. Bluray playback is not possible, as every time I try to play a bluray disc on WinDVD, it simply tells me that the graphics display does not support the feature.

Anybody have any ideas on how to make the GT555m play nice on 32-bit Vista? It's become a pet project of mine to make it work.

 

but 64 bit is fast and more secure

 

Read what I wrote above. I already have a 64-bit operating system on the machine, I am dual-booting a 32-bit operating system AS WELL AS a 64-bit operating system. I like to have the option of booting either system, depending on what I want to run.

 

Hello!

What is the difference between the programs you use on the different OS's?
Why is so important to use 32 bit operating system?

 

A personal computer is, as the name implies, a personal item. My personal preference is to run both 64 and 32 bit systems.

There are 32-bit programs that simply run better on the 32-bit platform. For instance, I am a fantasy baseball fanatic and there are many fantasy baseball utilities that I use that are only available as 16-bit applications. Those applications will not even run in a 64-bit system - not natively, any way. I could run them in Windows XP Mode within Win7, but XP Mode does not load applications as fast as I would prefer.

As for how "important" it is to use a 32-bit operating system? It's not vitally important. But it is helpful to me, and it is a nice thing to have on my personal computer.

 

Have you tried another virtual pc programs like WMware or VirtualBox?
I few years ago I used virtualbox (with WinXp), and the speed was fine.
I think managing a virtual pc on a single 64bit OS should be easier than a dual boot system.

How important the 3D acceleration is for you? Because if the built in intel Hd3000 is sufficent, you should be fine.

 

I have used VmWare in the past, and I actually have it installed as well as VirtualPC on my 64-bit Win7. It is an excellent program, much faster than VirtualPC. However, I am always partial to running an OS in "the real world," because it can take advantage of the actual hardware in the PC, rather than virtualized devices, which are usually not as capable.

However, your point is well taken about the Intel HD 3000 being sufficient for my needs in the 32-bit OS . . . It looks great and, really, the only thing I can't do on my Vista setup is hardcore gaming and bluray, which is easily done in my Win7 setup. I have tried just about everything to get the GT555m to work in Vista and it just ain't happening. Everything else runs great.

 

most dell just support 64bit os, if you use 32bit os, dell has a reason not warranty for you.
if you need 32bit os, better buy support model, such toshiba, support both os. when you start notebook, choice you os first.

 

Your English is a bit hard to understand, but I'll say this: when a technically experienced person such as myself installs a second operating system on a computer, they are well aware that the second operating system is not covered under the original warranty. That's not a concern for me.

Besides, as I have already said in this discussion, I have already installed a 32-bit operating system on the machine and it is working very well, alongside Win7 64-bit. I use a bootloader to switch between Win7, Vista and Linux when I turn the machine on.

 

Just ignore Alinad, he's not comprehending the problem at hand as he has done in many other threads. Of course the extra OS isn't supported. If you reformat your system with Dell's own discs, THAT isn't supported technically either. But anyway.

As per the driver, I just went to NVidia.com, hit download drivers, and selected the 555m and Vista 32 bit and it had a driver available to install. Did you try that? Modded inf's never work right in my experience.

NVIDIA DRIVERS 280.26 WHQL

 

Thanks for reading my post and responding, and for realizing how inane that previous poster was.

Yep, I have tried the 32-bit driver from Nvidia's web site. It refuses to install. This is because the card that Dell ships in the L702x identifies itself differently in the hardware ID (it lists its vendor ID as "0DCD" whereas the non-Dell card, I'm told, lists itself as "0DCE.")

Nvidia's setup.exe file searches for a compatible piece of hardware and looks for the correct hardware ID. Since the Dell card has a slightly different hardware ID, the setup will abruptly halt and say it can't find compatible hardware to install the driver for.

That's why I experimented with trying the modded .INF file. I agree with you that INF mods are problematic, but I thought I would give it a shot. From what I have read, sometimes manufacturers such as Dell will buy the graphics card chipset from Nvidia, then build a customized card that suits their needs, and that's why the hardware ID is different. Other times, the card is exactly the same, but the hardware ID is different simply because Dell didn't want to pay extra OEM fees. It appears that in this case, the GT555m in the L702x is a customized card and that Nvidia's stock drivers will not work with it.

 

Also, I just noticed this at the bottom of the Nvidia link you sent:

1. Notebooks supporting Hybrid Power technology with Intel chipsets are not supported by this release.

I think that is the rub with this particular card. It is a hybrid card and requires a very specific driver that enables it to work in conjunction with the Intel HD graphics chipset. I think I am probably stuck. Unless Dell writes a 32-bit driver for it, which I would sincerely doubt, I will just have to live without it. Everything else runs fine.

 

Odd because the 64-bit drivers direct from NVidia have been used by many people here with no issues on install (no modding, etc). Interesting...

 

Isn't the requirement for the current Optimus generation to work have at to be at least Windows 7 or later.

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Also, that note you found was for a much older power saving tech that Nvidia was testing but that depended on a repackaging of modified Intel Drivers in their main drivers, which gotten themselves in hot water with Intel.

 

You raise some good points. I have thought that Optimus could be at the root of this particular problem. And yes, if Optimus is dependent on Win7, that would explain a lot. But frankly I don't know a heck of a lot about Optimus, how it works, and whether it could potentially run in Vista.

The "hot water" that you mention between Intel and Nvidia . . . that's interesting, and I hadn't heard that. Did you read it somewhere? I'd like to read it as well . . .

 

Hello!

If you need a 32 bit OS, why WIN7 32 bit isnt right for you?
Vista has something important feature that WIN7 doesnt?
Maybe Nvidia's W7 32 bit drivers are much more useful, compatible etc.

 

Well, I couldn't stay away from it tonight and tinkered a bit more . . . and had some (sort of) success. I disabled the dysfunctional GT555m in device manager (it shows up simply as "Standard VGA Adapter" with a yellow exclamation point), which seems to force the Intel HD chipset to act as the primary graphics driver on everything now. WinDVD still wouldn't play a bluray disc, but PowerDVD 11 will. So, my goal of being able to watch bluray in Vista on my L702x is accomplished.

Everything graphically seems to run well . . . even high-end video. I am watching the Thor bluray and it looks and sounds great in full screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution. The Intel HD graphics driver seems to be able to handle whatever I throw at it.

On a side note, I also got the driver issue fixed for the Dell Accelerometer, too. Same strategy . . . I disabled the malfunctioning device, then installed Dell's driver while the device was disabled, and rebooted. Now it works. Go figure.

It would still be interesting to me to figure out how I could ever get the GT555m working, simply because I am a perfectionist on this stuff, but I can't complain about my 32-bit setup. It does everything from bluray to bluetooth.

 

Even the previous-gen Intel graphics could handle Blu-Ray pretty well, this gen is obviously massively better still. As you see. Enjoy!

 

The main reason I installed Vista 32 over Win7 32 is that I had a Vista Ultimate installation disk, and I am more familiar with installing Vista, since I have done it a few times. But your point is well taken . . . it may well be that Win7 32 could have been a better choice. I just have always liked Vista (me and two other people on the planet