Should I install NVidia's latest Vista driver?

First, if anyone can tell me how to check and see what version of drivers that I currently have installed, that would be great!! As you can see from my sig, I am currently running the 32 bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate. My notebook came with Vista Home Premium installed, then I upgraded to Ultimate. I have NOT done anything to graphics driver.

I came across this web page on NVidia's site. I was wondering if it was safe for me to install with my configuration. Read the 02/13/2007 update!!!

i received my notebook on 02/12/2007, so I doubt that this is the one installed. Please let me know if any of you have upgraded.

 

Well, there's really two different drivers on that page, the 97.46 driver and the link to the 100.64 driver. It's worth mentioning that you can't actually download and install either of those. Nvidia's driver are only designed to install on their desktop cards. You can go to www.laptopvideo2go.com though and get those same drivers with a modded inf that allows them to be installed on notebooks.

As for which driver is best, it's a tough call. All the Nvidia drivers for Vista suck at this point -- and you're not likely to actually notice a performance difference between any of the three (including the latest one HP provides). Some people will like the fact that the HP driver has been tested on your hardware and is WHQL certified. Personally, I use the modded 100.64 drivers, but that's just because I keep hoping that every little update will bring Nvidia's drivers closer to being decent on Vista -- so far without much luck.

Anyway, take your pick, none will screw up your system, but none will really do much to improve it.

 

HP has drivers for Vista. Or what you can do is update the driver via device manager.

 

I would just stick with the "HP Total Care" program, I am like you and "tinker" with Windows alot. But, Vista is a different animal of sorts and this HP program seems to integrate all of those things and takes care of updates that HP specifically want you to have. Don't know if you have discovered the Vista mobility center, that is really neat and great for notebook users. Some components are built into the HP Total Care thing though too. I did have some trouble with the HP wireless assistant at work, had to uninstall that to get connected. But the rest of the programs HP installs related to maintain your computer and seem to work pretty well.

 

Thanks for all the help... I will do the smart thing and stick with the current drivers until HP makes an update available

 

This is not part of the thread, but just wondering..

Is it just me? or everytime you login to Windows, the screen would flick and re-center the mouse cursor?

 

Happens to me everytime I resume from standby -- then a little warning pops up stating something about the display device recovering form something and having to be restarted. Then again, I am using modded beta drivers right now, so I didn't think much of it.

Speaking of annoyances, though, do you use VPC 2007 on your notebook. I just downloaded the final, turned on Hardware VT in the BIOS, but in VPC options Hardware VT is greyed out, saying the system isn't compatible. This is turning out to be the least Vista Capable machine I own, despite being the only one with a sticker proclaiming the ability. Oh well.

 

Got the same problem.. That is one of the reasons that i was looking for an update to the current drivers. Sometimes, my screen would go blank and then recover.