updating GPU drivers - questions and problems

Six weeks ago my PC (specs in signature below) suffered a hard drive failure and I duly installed a new HD and the Windows Vista OS from the original Dell source re-install CD. Since that time, the PC has had several blue screen crashes (BSC); they stopped for a few days 1-2 weeks ago but returned with a proverbial vengeance this week, about 2 per day. Using the utility BlueScreenView, the majority of BSC seem related to the hal.dll driver group. Based on advice I received earlier on this forum, I am currently trying to update my GPU (nVidia GeForce 8400M GS) drivers. I have several questions about this, starting with an unusual problem. I apologize that my description is lengthy and somewhat convoluted, which unfortunately is unavoidable to some extent due to the nature of my problem/situation; I will try to be as concise and direct as possible.

I started by searching the Dell site for updated drivers for my GPU. The process for using the Dell site to install updated drivers is to submit the service tag number in the drivers section. I did this and Dell identified one driver, R200273.exe. The Dell site allows driver downloads only through the Dell Download Manager. When I tried to download the driver, I received the message that the Dell Download Manager encountered an unexpected error and was unable to download the driver. I tried this 3 times with the same futile result. I encountered this same download problem with my other notebook PC (also a Dell M1330) when trying to download an updated GPU driver for the Intel CPU (GPU for that PC is part of the Intel 965 chip set). I tried to download the driver over several days with the same result, so I finally accessed the Intel website and downloaded the same updated driver easily. Going back to my present problem and my current PC, I visited the nVidia website to find the updated driver. However, nVidia lists many updated drivers for my GPU, and none of their labels match the updated nVidia driver recommended on the Dell website; apparently Dell and nVidia do not use the same labels/designations for their respective GPU drivers.

1. Has anyone else tried to use the Dell Download Manager on the Dell site to download updated drivers for their notebook PCs and encountered the same download error problem? Does anyone know why the Dell Download Manager seems to fail so often (at least in my case)?

2. Assuming I cannot use the Dell Download Manager for my updated GPU driver downloads and that I cannot match the updated nVidia driver recommended and provided by Dell to one of the many updated GPU drivers listed on the nVidia website for my nVidia GPU model, should I simply download the latest GPU driver from the nVidia website? Does the latest updated driver cover all the previous updated drivers I haven't downloaded already? Or should I download all the updated nVidia drivers I haven't yet installed?

I ask this in part because I vaguely recall reading somewhere that updating nVidia GPU drivers in Dell PCs is recommended only from Dell websites and not directly from the nVidia website. Is this valid or nonsense?

Thanks for reading this lengthy note and any suggestions/advice/information.

 

Hi there mate, I would have to say that only using Dell's software to download drivers is nonsense. If you want to keep your system up-to-date download drivers from the source company. As long as you download the correct driver for your hardware model you should be fine.

 

Hi,

there is always the option to use your regular browser to download drivers from Dell website. I don't see any need for this "download manager".

In case you have a Nvidia GPU, you can of course use the drivers from nvidia.com on your Dell. These are much newer than those from Dell support website. This might be an advantage, or it might not. But fortunately, there is an archive: NVIDIA Driver Downloads - Advanced Search

Michael

 

Thanks for the responses.

Michael-

Perhaps I am simply obtuse, but I cannot seem to find a way to download the driver from the Dell site with my browser and bypass the Dell Download Manager. When I click on "save" with the download function, the Download Manager seems to be activated automatically. I've wanted to download the driver directly before, but have not been able to determine the method. If you or anyone else have suggestions to bypass the Download Manager, I'd greatly appreciate them.

Thanks,

 

The Dell website gives you an option when you click on the download to pick regular download or download manager. You probably clicked on the download manager once without realizing, and left the 'select this option automatically' button checked. Try clearing your cookies and temp internet files, and try downloading it again, it should give you the option to pick the 'regular' download option.

 

another solution is to find the dell installer package sequence (i.e. R275105) and google that, it should usually provide at least one (if not many) different direct links to download that package straight from dell's ftp.