Still using 167.43 8400M GT drivers?

Alright, my FZ190 is operating with a GeForce 8400M GT. In the year I’ve owned this laptop the graphics driver has never been updated. The driver originally installed by the manufacturer, driver 167.43, is still what I’m using.
Nvidia’s Smart Scan tool will not recommend a driver and instead tells me,

Well okay, so I check VIAO Update and no graphics updates are available….err, what the hell? In a year’s time, there hasn’t been a new driver released? Really? I find this hard to believe. It’s clear Nvidia has newer drivers, but….maybe they aren't for notebooks....or I don't know--i'm not tech savy....I don’t want to screw up my machine.
This next disclaimer scares me,

Any VIAO owners offer some input & advice. Should I leave well enough alone? What drivers are you currently using and have you had any negative experiences as a result?

 

You can download this nvidia 174.31 whql driver from this italian VAIO FZ thread.
I'm using it from 2 weeks and it's far better than the original one...

PS: On that italian thread you can also find any other driver for your fz (xp, vista, and also something about linux... )

 

Are you using 8400M GT or 8600 GS? Anyone else try this?

 

Are you sure that your original driver is 167.43? Because according to Sony, the original one is 111.11 and my FZ4 original driver is I think a lot older than 167.43.

Anyway, the newest Nvidia driver for 8400M GT that you can download and install from Sony website is 156.65. If you want newer, you would have to download from 3rd party website, such as laptopvideo2go.com

Note, should you choose to install from lp2g, make sure you backup your current driver by using System Restore before installing the newer driver. This is especially important if your FZ has Blu-Ray drive. Software Blu-Ray Player like WinDVD BD or PowerDVD Ultra is very picky about which driver you can have in your system. If it detects that your driver is not 100% official or has been modified in any way, it may refuse to play Blu-Ray disc.

 

Hendra, it's possible I updated the driver at some point but I don't remember doing so. If I did, it was over year ago....the day I unpacked it. For as long as I remember I've been using 167.43, and I'm 100% certain 167.43 is the driver I'm currently using.

That said, what drivers is everyone else using with their 8400M GT?

 

I am using 167.43, which was offered through windows update after the clean install.

 

Yes, I remember Windows Update used to offer it for Sony owners. But now Microsoft removed it for unknown reason. If you reformat and reinstall Vista from scratch today, the option for downloading Nvidia driver is not there anymore. You have to manually download and install from Sony website (156.65).

 

Where are you finding the driver version number? I am seeing lots of different numbers in different place I look. Confused?????

Gary

 

Gary, the driver version number refers to the forceware number. Right click on the desktop, click Nvidia Control Panel, click Help, click System Information and take a look at Forceware version.

 

Wow!!! Mine was 101.11 this must be ancient. I bought my FZ190 CTO in July. Looks like its time to ghost the C: drive and update!

Thanks guys!

Gary

 

Are you upgrading to the driver linked to earlier, version 174.31?

 

Didn't you get any driver update through Windows Update Gary?

 

Well 167.43 is actually one of the best if not the best driver for FZs with 8400GTs that lack a blu-ray drive. I have been going through the 174 series of drivers and have found few that work better BUT are also as stable. Some 174 drivers can generate an error message upon your operating system starting up when your computer turns on.

You can try the 174 series drivers (or the 173 or 171s) from laptopvideo2go.com and try your luck.

 

It was offered at one time but I didn't install it. I was hoping that Sony would have it. Then it disappeared from Windows Update. <sigh>

I just finished imaging my C: drive and downloaded the 174 version from the italian site link above. I'll report back.

Gary

 

I just completed the update to the 174.31 version and it went without a hitch... so far.

Gary

 

How about Blu-Ray?

 

I had something like 101.28 in my brand new FZ4000, however after installing 167.43, I don't really see any difference. Gary, I think unless you are gaming or watching video (or outputting to a HDTV, etc) you will not see much.

 

Hendra... I don't have Blu-Ray.

Bubbatex... I don't see any major difference either, but wanted to be "up to date".

Gary

 

Gary (ScuderiaConchiglia), your machine seems to be nearly identical to mine; as my FZ190 is also running 8400 GT & doesn't have Blue-Ray. I'm very interested to know if you run into bugs or performance issues after living with it for a while. Better, worse, unchanged? And do you have SP1?

jsf_enthusiast, you're correct about the 167.43 being incredibly stable. Never had a problem with this driver, totally flawless. But your warning of bugs with 174.31 brings me pause.

I don't need to change drivers, but I'm obsessed with having the the lastest. I also plan on playing Mass Effect once it's released on PC and am trying to prepare for this....I assume I need the latest gfx driver.

 

I do have SP1. I see no REAL change right now. I'll let you know. Prode me with a bump on this thread in a few days if I forget to report back.

Gary

 

I am still on 167.43 too. It has been very stable, and it has good performance - so I don't see the need for change. Besides, 167 series are Nvidia's stable laptop drivers.

 

167.43 is good, fine for pretty much.. everything. I'm on 169.09 now as it's better in some newer games. Here's the updating gpu driver thread in the gaming section, "modded inf's" and removing old drivers properly can be confusing

 

Well, I went back to the 167.43 as there did seem to be a difference after I down graded to the old one again. The 167.43 seems to work a little better with my dual monitor set-up too.

 

How so? What difference did you see?

Gary

 

Well, when I went back to the original, it just did not look as good. On mine at least, the contrast was different and I could not seem to get it adjusted "back" as it was before I did the driver switch-switch back. I have a Samsung 19" 953BW LCD that has a digital driver, so maybe that had something to do with it. Nothing scientific or even specific, just seems 167.43 is working a little better since I did a clean install.

 

I put 167.43 on my FZ190 and it works great. What I wanted the most is to get rid of the crappy nV CP from 101..., the newer one is much better.

 

I am thinking about dropping back to the 167.43 as this seems to be the most widely accepted as being stable. So where are you guys pulling that version for an FZ model. I saw reference to one that was "ready to go" on an FZ without haivng to edit or replace an INF file. But now I can't seem to find the link.

Gary

 

Gary - I got it HERE and dl'ed JUST the driver, not the modded INF. There is a thread there somewhere about this version and Sony not requiring a modded INF but I could not find it quickly.

 

Thanks!

Gary

 

Hmm, I had to drop in the modified inf before it let me install. Gary, were you able to install without the modded inf?

 

JesterX - If you read my post above Gary's, you do not have to install a modded inf for that driver on a Sony.

(Guess my rep power is not high enough! )

 

Initially I was unable to install the driver. Then I noticed a file labeled "original_Inf(s).zip" I unzipped that and then it installed like a charm.

Gary

 

No you don't have to install a modded inf. But on my FZ190 I did have to restore them from the "original_inf(s).zip" folder conteined in the download.

As I remember you have a newer FZ, an FZ4000, right? That might be the difference.

Gary

 

Yep, did not mean to be a smarta$$ (but I can be)! There are certainly some differences between our versions - that was obvious when I did the clean install with your instructions. I loaded the 167.43 driver as is without a hitch.

My Vaio Control Center does not as yours either - I am going to nuke it completely b/c all of the functions that are there are already in Vista anyway. I did not use the S1 button much any way with my old FS550.

 

Gary, so wait…..you reverted from 174 to 167? I'm still thinking of doing just the opposite, 164 >to 174..... what can you tell me about your experience with both drivers?

 

All the first hand reports I had seen were about 167. I did notice one odd thing with 174. When I use the mouse pad gesture to go back a page in IE, it would sometimes leave the "back/previous" arrows on the display or pieces of them.

I reverted just because of the reports of 167 being stable and no reports that I could find about 174.

Gary

 

It said that no supported devices were found or something without the modded inf, weird. So I dropped in the modded one and it installed and works just fine. I've been gaming on it and it works great.

Gary, I have a FZ-190.

 

I had the exact same message on my FX190. But instead of downloading a modded INF, I noticed the "original_infs.zip" folder and unzipped it. It appears that the download driver package actually contains a modded INF and whoever modded it included the originals. These originals worked just fine on the FZ190 machines.

Gary

 

I decided to uninstall and use the original infs and that worked just fine.

 

Install 167 version and everything works fine, but the HDMI.
I mean, I can output via HDMI cable with full resolution (1080) to a Sony BRAVIA 32" but as soon the cable is plugged I cannot alternate between the NB display and the TV. Only the TV is available.
To get back the NB display I must restart it without the cable.

Tried every settings in Nvidia Control Pannel and when I hit Fn+F7 neither the displays works or only the TV. This function was working fine with the previous driver.

Any clue?

Forget to say, VAIO FZ350AE, bought in Brasil.

 

I am on 169.09 right now since when my laptop came the colors were totally messed up, everything looked green and you couldn't calibrate it. Then I ownloaded 169.09 and it instantly solved the colors problems. Then i got it calibrated and finally am enjoying my xbrite hi color (it's &$#/$ amazing!! never seen a screen like this, seriously).

But since you talk so much about 167 versions, would you recommend them to me? even if they're "older" than 169.09?

 

I read in another thread that new versions of the driver meabe brings new features to the newer CPUs. Features that are not implemented on 8400M GT.
So, the newer drivers are worthless to 8400.

I didnt try the 169 or higher, then I cant say they are better.